Normality
by cessa
Summary: Ginny thinks that now Draco has dragged her off to Australia, things can only get better…pity she didn’t count on their professional relationship dissolving the second they stepped off the portkey. Sexual frustation, hate and share-bathrooms... ch13 u
1. Of normality, insanity and alarm clocks

The beige alarm clock that sat on the sleeping Virginia Weasley's dressing table, was perfectly normal. In fact, it was so normal that it had been bought based on its sense of normalcy. Of course, having a mediocre alarm clock didn't necessarily guarantee that it would be a good alarm clock, as Virginia (also known as Ginny) discovered the morning after she had bought it.   
  
_BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. _  
  
"Bloody hell..." muttered Ginny as she tried, unsuccessfully, to quiet down the blasted thing. At this point, it was now wailing like a strangled cat and continually becoming louder. Ginny, fighting with the insane clock, could hear her flatmate Clarissa get up and start to thump towards her room. Ginny struggled harder, sitting upright in bed and bashing the clock down on her headboard. She supposed this wasn't such a good idea after it began to make even more annoying high-pitched beeps.   
  
"VIRGINIA ANN WEASLEY!" Screeched a loud voice, sending shivers down Ginny's spine.   
  
Her flatmate Clarissa Manchester, a self proclaimed thirty-year-old bachelorette-cum-spinster, was scary at the best of times and as Ginny rightly assumed, the best of times were not being woken up at six in the morning by your flatmate's maniacal alarm clock. Ducking her head under the pillow and humming "Greensleeves" (unofficially known as "The ice-cream truck song"), Ginny attempted to drown out the combined effort of both Clarissa and the now 'doomed for the tip' alarm clock. Finally, the noise stopped abruptly and Ginny cautiously poked her head out of her covers.   
  
The alarm clock was sitting innocently on its dresser. If alarm clocks had faces, Ginny was sure this one would be smirking. Trying hard to show her twenty-six years, Ginny resisted poking out her tongue. In a nearby chair sat Clarissa, one eyebrow raised and a terror-inducing expression on her face.   
  
"Now, Ginny, what did I say about being woken up at six in the morning?"   
  
Ginny thought for a moment, "Umm, that you didn't like it?"   
  
"That's right, Ginny!" said Clarissa in a falsetto 'kiddie' voice. "Clarissa doesn't like to be woken up at six in the morning!"   
  
Ginny wasn't quite sure, but she felt she was being slightly patronized somewhere in that sentence. Shrugging and pulling herself together, she turned to Clarissa and said in a brisk sort of tone, "Look...I'm sorry for my alarm clock waking you up and all, but it's only the first morning since I bought it! How was I supposed to know it was going to beep so loud?"   
Ginny pouted at Clarissa, before whining cutely and turning the puppy eyes on full blast.   
  
"Well I guess I can let you off the hook...THIS TIME!"   
  
"I know...look, I'm really, really sorry. I'll buy you a peanut/strawberry/pineapple ice-cream cone later, ok?"   
  
Clarissa visibly softened, "Can it have sprinkles on top?"   
  
"Sure, you can even have a mint-chocolate stick."   
  
"Okay, you're forgiven. But seriously, Ginny, it isn't healthy to wake up every morning at six. I mean, your office is just around the corner!"   
  
"I know..." Ginny sighed loudly.   
  
"So why do you have to get up so early? Seriously! Most _normal_ people don't get up for work until nine."   
  
"Yes, but my boss depends on me so much. That and he's terrified of his wife. He forgot their anniversary last year. I had to deliver flowers to their house and pretend I was the delivery girl!"   
  
"He's working you too hard." Clarissa contended with crossed arms.   
  
* * * * *   
  
Later that morning at breakfast, Ginny reflected on what Clarissa had said.   
  
_"He's working you too hard."_  
  
She had never considered this a possibility. She loved her job and the opportunities it presented. Well, that is if you could call normalcy an opportunity. Bringing a spoonful of cornflakes up to her mouth, Ginny considered her need for being normal. She often told herself that she wasn't sure exactly when it started. Truthfully, that was a downright lie. She knew exactly when it had first come to the surface. The diary.   
  
But Ginny didn't like the think about the diary. She had come to know it as, "My betrayal."   
  
Aside from that, she suspected the need came from several years of a massive jumbled-up family. It could have even come from seven crazy years at Hogwarts. Ginny was never sure. All she was really sure of was her need to have a boring, average life. The kind where you get the milk every morning and go to bed at night wearing striped PJs. At least that was Ginny's idea of being normal.   
  
She assumed that was why she liked her job so much. It offered her a sense of security to know that she was so needed. Besides, her job was as basic as they come. Ginny was P.A. to the boss of Spellbound, the wizarding travel agency and holiday planner that was situated in Diagon Alley. Her work consisted of mainly secretarial duties, with the added 'benefit' of helping her boss, Franklin E. Smith, with other personal affairs. It paid well, and gave Ginny the opportunity to live in the upper-class section of Diagon Alley with Clarissa, who was a successful Ministry lawyer. Their flat was small but well equipped with a lounge, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a study, and a kitchen-cum-dining room.   
  
They lived well, but Ginny knew if anything ever happened to put her job into jeopardy, she would be royally screwed.   
  
Now as she sat in the kitchen, munching happily away at the breakfast of her choice ('Normal' cornflakes) she realized that if she wanted to meet her 6:30 starting time, she had to Apparate now.   
  
Glancing at her reflection in the mirror, she nodded in approval of her knee length beige skirt and neatly pressed blouse. Grabbing her plain brown coat off the rack, she began to quickly brush her hair.  
  
*Needs a trim!* She thought absentmindedly, holding a strand of bright red hair at arm's length.   
  
Locking that thought into her memorized schedule, she apparated with a loud 'pop'.   
  
* * * * *   
  
Franklin E. Smith paced around his office, scowling.   
  
He had three very important clients that morning, Ginny was late again, and the company's profits were falling rapidly. Growling as he stopped to study the figures laid out across his desk, Franklin wondered for the sixtieth time that morning where exactly he had gone wrong. When his father had started the travel agency in the seventies, it had flourished beyond belief. Everybody had wanted a piece of what Spellbound could offer, and the profits were huge.   
  
Franklin remembered vividly how he used to watch his father count up the long lists of figures scrawled across the scratchy parchment. He had always known they were well off, and truthfully he had never expected it to change.  
  
"It's the same company for God's sake." Franklin said irritably, "Why do customers feel the need to abandon us? After all I've jolly well done for them!"   
  
But Franklin knew.   
  
In the seventies Spellbound had been a novelty. To have your whole holiday planned out for you was something most people would kill for. Not only that, but they would organize kiddie care, facilities, and tours. It was a dream-come-true.   
  
But this was the new millennium.   
  
More and more of the same sort of businesses had sprung up. These new competitors, understanding the success that came with this new game had rich investors turning them into massive companies, chains that at any location were accessible. There was really no room in this exciting new industry for a small struggling business, even if it had been a forerunner.   
  
Spellbound was slowly, yet surely, going bankrupt.   
  
Franklin groaned as he stared at the figures, willing them to go away. Finally, he snapped out of his trance long enough to chuck a handful of Floo powder into the fire. Franklin then called for his lawyer, Theodore Bishop.   
  
* * * * *   
  
Ginny landed lightly next to her desk and immediately sat down to sift through the owl mail received overnight.   
  
"Lets see... one from Sissy Specktah. Must get her that Jamaican thing soon... Okay, Okay, Mexico on the list. What? She wants to go to France?" While she was reading, several employees that Ginny considered close friends dropped in to say good morning. One of them, Linda Marthick, who had started this job roughly around the same time as Ginny stayed to have coffee, the unopened mail lying forgotten. Linda had become close to Ginny since the day that both of them, as! awkward twenty-three year old interns, had run into each other outside the copying room. Now almost three years later, Ginny still considered Linda as one of her best friends.   
  
"Ginny?"   
  
"Mmm?" said Ginny looking up from her coffee mug.   
  
"Do you really believe all the rumours about 'Travel Land' destroying all the smaller companies?"   
  
Ginny considered this for a moment before shaking her head.   
  
"I really don't think that's happening. Even if it were, we'd have nothing to worry about. Spellbound is practically untouchable."   
  
"I suppose..." Linda trailed off, still not looking that convinced. "Well, I better get going. I have to write up some random catalogue today."   
  
"Bye, Lin, I'll owl you about dinner in a few nights, okay?"   
  
"Sure, Ginny. Ciao, sweetie."   
  
Waving goodbye to Linda through the wide panelled glass windows, Ginny brought all her attention back to the remaining mail on her desk. Most of it was the routine mail they received daily, as well as several junk mail brochures in all their tacky colored glory. One letter, however, stood out. It was red and stamped across it was "urgent".   
  
Ginny wrinkled her nose. It looked like they were due to pay taxes again. She slit open the top, careful not to rip the fragile parchment inside. Slowly unfolding the letter, she began in shocked silence to read, all her securities crashing down on her.   
  
_  
Gringott's Bank   
23 Diagon Alley, London   
Britain.   
  
Dear Sir,   
  
On your failure to pay back the loan we have bestowed upon your company, "Spellbound Wizarding Tours", we are forced to undertake drastic actions.   
  
If we do not receive the set amount of One hundred and 69 thousand Galleons by the end of the month, we will be forced to close you down.   
  
Yours sincerely,   
  
Grindhawk   
Chief Goblin, Gringotts bank. _  
  
  
If Ginny had not been already sitting down, she had a feeling she might have fainted. If this letter indicated what she thought it did, Spellbound was in serious trouble. If the company happened to fail...well, then Ginny would be jobless. If Ginny didn't have a job, then she would also become homeless. She didn't even want to think of her situation if that was the case.   
  
Breathing deeply, she snatched up the letter and stormed into Franklin's office. He was talking to a head via Floo.   
  
"You could always get outside investors..." the head was saying.   
  
"But they would tear the company to shreds! Turn it into a gaudy monstrosity!" Franklin yelled back, still not noticing Ginny standing in the doorway.   
  
"Yes, but, Franklin, you really don't have that much of a choice."   
  
"All I WANT is my company back!" roared Franklin.   
  
"Well then, you ought to pay back banks the first time they ask," Ginny cut in quietly from the doorway.   
  
Franklin spun around quickly and shot Ginny a dumbfounded look. Glancing down, he took the letter she was holding, his face suddenly ashen.   
  
"Look, Ginny, it's not what it seems!"   
  
Ginny sighed. "Yes it is. It's exactly what it seems."   
  
"You see Miss -" the head from the fireplace interrupted, before Franklin butted back in.   
  
"You stay out of this, Theo! Oh, Ginny, love, this is my lawyer, Theodore."   
  
"Hello," said Theodore meekly.   
  
"Hi. Franklin, why did you not tell me Spellbound was in trouble? If I had known, I could have budgeted, or something…"   
  
Franklin sighed, before walking over and leaning heavily on his desk.   
  
"Ginny, there's nothing we can do to get out of this. We never could."   
  
Ginny wrinkled her nose and asked in a tight voice, "How can that be? "   
  
"Look," Franklin said, picking up the paperweight on his desk and fiddling with it nervously. "It's nothing _we _did. It's just the market out there today is crazy. We just can't compete with these bigger firms."   
  
Ginny started to pace, following Franklin's earlier footsteps. "I can't believe this," she muttered.   
  
Theodore's head started to speak again."With the Muggle exchange going up, more and more companies are buying into the interest travel pres- "   
  
"Oh, do be quiet, Theo!" Yelled Franklin in exasperation, his face red as he slammed down the paperweight. "Nobody understands what the hell you're yabbering about."   
  
Ginny walked over and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.   
  
"Look, Franklin, getting mad isn't going to help us. We need to be calm about this."   
  
Franklin took a deep breath and muttered something random under his breath. When he looked up, he had a painful smile on his face. Turning to face Ginny, he said in a calmer voice, "Look, Ginny, I know you've got a lot on your mind lately- what with your birthday coming up and all the family stuff- so just go back to your office and try to concentrate as normal. Theodore and I will figure something out, but I really don't want to drag you into this. Please, just go back to your office."   
  
Ginny gave Franklin a hurt look. She said a quick goodbye to Theodore, and then stalked back across the hall into her office, slamming the door behind her.   
  
She couldn't understand why Franklin would shut her out like that. She had been his loyal employee for three long years. It wasn't always easy, but Ginny had stuck to it and Franklin considered her among his best. She had always helped him with financial troubles, whether it be for work or for his family.   
  
"I baby-sit for the man, for christsake," muttered Ginny, "How much more can you bloody trust someone?"  
  
It wasn't until she had sat down at her desk, head in her hands, that she let the first tear fall. She wasn't an idiot. She knew that a company without money and seriously in debt had no chance of survival.   
  
"Great," she said miserably. "First the job, then the flat… What's next? Roger?"   
  
The thought of her long time boyfriend, Roger Davies, should have cheered her up slightly, but in truth she felt only more depressed. Roger was on the other side of the world right now, in China, researching something about somebody. Famous historians, as Ginny had so patiently discovered, were always on the go. As she started to write a reply to a Ms. Miriby regarding a holiday to Spain, she felt her thoughts drifting again.   
  
This time they fell upon Ron, her older brother by a year. Soon he would be getting married to his long time sweetheart and even longer time best friend, Hermione Granger. Ginny could still remember the day he had announced cheerfully during dinner in June that he was to marry Hermione in March the following year. If Ginny had been surprised, it was nothing compared to Hermione, but, as the doctors had assured them, it was perfectly healthy to pass out when hearing news such as this. Ginny chuckled at the memory. Ron was such an unromantic git. Of course, Hermione didn't seem to mind when she had come to. In fact, they managed to disappear upstairs for several hours -   
  
Ginny sometimes wished Roger and her held the same passion as Ron and his fiancée. But then again, passion was dangerous. You could lose control with those kinds of ideas. At least with Roger, Ginny knew where she stood. They were a professional and proper couple with all the right connections. Of course, there was little love, but truthfully- did love really help in the end?   
  
"No," Ginny assured herself quietly, slitting open a letter viciously. "There is only comfort and fools with false expectations."   
  
* * * * *   
  
The next day little had changed.   
  
The alarm clock, whilst locked in the attic, still managed to disrupt Ginny (and an extremely grumpy Clarissa) by playing radio tunes at full blast - at five o'clock in the morning. If that wasn't bad enough, Ginny had then apparated off to work and endured a full day of her boss walking around her on eggshells. Not to mention several 'do-gooder' female employees waltzing up to her at various points of the day, exclaiming in loud irritating tones, "Why Gin-Gin dear! You look dreadful! Not getting enough beauty sleep, eh?"   
  
"Well isn't that grand!" Ginny snarled, "Aside from being an inch away from living in a cardboard box, I also look like a beast and I have a horrid nickname...Gin-Gin!"   
  
Frank came in to deliver a personal owl that had mistakenly come to him instead of Ginny, and wondered why she was muttering under her! breath while snapping various quills in half.   
  
"Uh, Ginny, dear...quills are getting rather expensive these days."   
  
Ginny jerked her head up violently then rolled her eyes.   
  
"Oh. It's you. What's happened this time? The company can't afford parchment. How 'bout we just use loo paper, for fuck's sake."   
  
Ginny had no idea what had come over her. She never, _ever_ lost control. Especially not to her boss.  
  
"You know, I can still fire you."   
  
"There would be no point. It's inevitable."   
  
There it was again. That annoying rebellious streak that refused to be repressed.   
  
"Gin, don't be like that. It's not my fault..." he trailed off and stared at the ground, then remembered what he had originally come there to do. Smiling uncertainly he offered the letter to her. "You've had an owl."   
  
"Thanks," Ginny said snatching the paper he held out.   
  
Throwing his hands up, Franklin left scowling. What ever had happened to his little Ginny? She used to be so _nice_.   
  
Ginny scowled heavily as she opened the letter, taking no time to be careful. Soon she was holding a tattered piece of parchment, with the familiar spidery handwriting neatly covering the surface.   
  
  
_Dearest Virginia,   
  
To my happy astonishment, my work here in China was so satisfactory that I was granted a week off to visit home. By the time you receive this, I will have already arrived, apparate-lagged in my flat. Will you give me the great pleasure of your company at dinner tonight? I am simply dying to tell you all the greatest news about Ling Shi, the most power wizard in China during the last century. I believe he contributed the metal of Bronze as new cauldron material. Changed the whole diameter, really!   
  
Yours,   
  
Roger Michael Davies   
(Odeon grand LI award winner, three times in a row)   
_  
_P.S. Is your delightful brother Percy around this week? I'd simply love to discuss some of this rather spectacular news on cauldron thickness with him. Revolutionary! _  
  
  
Ginny groaned. What a perfect way to end a perfect day. 

* * * * * * * * * *

Don't fret readers who have made it up to here!

First thing next chapter we meet the adorable Draco.


	2. Of Draco, cheese and flashbacks

Draco Sebastian Malfoy was bored.  
  
After two and a half years of roaming around the world living it rough, returning to boring, drizzley England was the last thing on his agenda. Not to mention that it seemed to have become more unbearable during the time he was gone.  
  
Sighing as he glanced out the window of his modern London apartment, Draco's thoughts were only distracted briefly when a woman in a red dress strolled past, swinging her hips all the way down the street. Draco leaned out further, trying to get a better view.  
  
That's it... a little to the left, little bit, little bit more, just one more-  
  
"DRACO!" cried the voice of his father, Lucius Malfoy angrily. "Why the hell are you leering like a fourteen year old school boy? You're twenty-six for Christ's sake. Grow up, son!"  
  
Turning irritated to face his father, Draco sneered before replying cuttingly, "Not much else to do in this Godforsaken hellhole."  
  
Draco meant it too. After three weeks of trying to adjust to back his homeland, Draco was hopelessly and tragically bored.  
  
He had tried everything, from journalism to *gasp* mini putt-putt golf. Nothing could satisfy his need for adventure, not even getting stuck in tunnel seventeen whilst searching for his strategically colored yellow (easy to cheat with...) golf ball.  
  
He supposed he needed a challenge... something else to blow his inheritance on, but once one had endured backpacking across Europe, using holes in the ground to relieve himself and tasting mangy cafeteria-type food, it was hard to find even a hint of something more adventurous.  
  
Turning his attention back to his father, who was now discussing the importance of securing a good business before 'those Mudbloods', as he so fondly called them, stole the business world entirely. Draco snapped back into a firm reality at the words, "So you see Draco, why it is so important for you to own a business."  
  
"Pardon?" Draco asked with one eyebrow delicately arched.  
  
"Draco, for God's sake! Half the problem is that you're so caught up in your own dream world. This is your future we are discussing... What is said in this room could well make you or break you." Lucius half- threatened,  
  
"I don't understand the significance of me being either made or broken in relation to my future." Draco responded airly,  
  
"And why the hell not?" Lucius exploded, put out entirely by his son's lackadaisical response to his veiled threat. The Draco he knew before would have risen to his bait without so much as a thought.  
  
Draco had always had a rather give and, well, give a little more, relationship with his father. When he was a young boy at Hogwarts he had always considered his father right- an attitude that had only managed to falter during the last few years.  
  
"Daddy-dear, I think you're looking over the slight issues of my four million galleon inheritance." Draco sunk down into his chair, slamming his hands down on the arms of the chair for that extra dramatic affect.  
  
"Draco." Lucius said low and dangerously, "I think it may have slipped your attention, but please do try to remember who exactly has control over your inheritance."  
  
Draco didn't like the look that had come into Lucius' eyes.  
  
"Father..." he trailed off cautiously.  
  
Lucius stalked around the room muttering under his breath. Draco picked up words such as "Grow up" and "trust fund." It wasn't until he distinctly heard Lucius mention "cut it off" that he got really worried though.  
  
"Are you ill?" he asked, desperately hoping that it was some kind of mind- altering fever.  
  
"Never better," answered Lucius smirking evilly as he strode out of the room.  
  
"Why do I have such a bad feeling about this?" Draco said under his breath.  
  
* * * * *  
  
It was a very agitated Ginny who strode down the steps of 'Spellbound' that evening.  
  
Her last hours at work were no better than the first; Ginny was sick to death of everyone and everything... no exceptions. Usually she took great delight in the brief walk back to her apartment; the shops were on the brink of closing with the unmistakable smell of magic haunting the air.  
  
She was pulled from her thoughts as she past the restaurant where she had worked for a couple of years after finishing school. The owner, a chubby, likable man named Julius Slingter was outside carefully lifting up a broad sign that pronounced 'closed'. Upon seeing Ginny, he called out in his Scottish traced accent,  
  
"It ain't...Why it is! Com'over here me lassie, give your old boss Julius a kiss, eh?"  
  
Ginny pasted a smile on her face, good humor slowly returning.  
  
"Hello Juls. How's the restaurant going?"  
  
"Same old... same old." He said, shrugging his massive shoulders. "An' the traveling business? Though, I 'spose it never changes."  
  
Ginny sighed heavily thinking how very wrong he was. After suffering many more minutes of stilted small talk, Ginny excused herself with the unoriginal excuse that she had somebody very important waiting for her. If Julius could see through her pitiful excuse, he said nothing, offering her a kiss on the cheek.  
  
He called out, "Well a good day to ya, Lass," before retreating into the warmth of his shop.  
  
Scuffling her feet as she passed the large park outside her apartment building, Ginny mustered up her courage to face Clarissa at this time in the afternoon. It was especially daunting as Ginny could only assume that Clarissa had had her cup of coffee already. Coffee and Clarissa was an ill- matched pair.  
  
Ginny made her way to the stairs after stepping inside the heavy glass doors halting the winter wind from howling through the corridors.  
  
Their apartment was on the second highest floor. With brief inner turmoil, she judged herself to be lazy and promptly Apparated to the top of the stairs. Ginny walked down the dreary magenta (it stuck Ginny as odd that such a bright color could be reduced to dreary) corridor to the apartment and fumbled with the keys.  
  
Through the narrow corridor leading to the living area, Ginny wondered where Clarissa was. Usually by this time of the night, she would be practicing Karaoke with her toothbrush or trying to swing dance with a broom.  
  
Cautiously stepping into the blue lounge room, Ginny let out a sigh of relief to see Clarissa spread out across the couch, fast asleep. Ginny guessed that being woken up by a rouge alarm clock twice in two days was enough to make anyone who was not used to such precarious hours sleepy.  
  
Tiptoeing quietly through the lounge, she rummaged through the icebox until she came across the iced coffee she had been saving for such an occasion as this. Grabbing the bottle firmly, she made her way down the darkened corridor next to the kitchen, and walked into her small bedroom. It overlooked the park and Ginny had long ago painted it a pale yellow to match the sun, which constantly seemed to shine through the windows. In one corner was a queen-sized bed covered with the frilly white covers Molly Weasley had given her for her twenty-fifth birthday last year. Ginny briefly wondered what home wear monstrosity she would be presented with this year.  
  
Sitting down at the white painted wooden vanity that faced opposite to her wardrobe, Ginny stared hard into the mirror trying hard to match her freckles into star signs.  
  
"Mirror, mirror on the wall...whose screwed up the most of all?"  
  
Turning towards the mirror, she picked up the wooden hairbrush, and started to brush her reddish mane viciously, punishing her hair for her weaknesses.  
  
When Ginny was satisfied, she threw down the brush and flopped onto her bed. Staring up at the ceiling, she began to count the glowing stars adorning the darkened ceiling. They were an early birthday present from the twins.  
  
Ginny was unsure how long she spent counting stars and naming the ones she dubbed as special, but when she dragged her eyes away to glance at her watch she was amazed to discover that she was expected at Roger's in under an hour.  
  
Ginny had no idea what was happening with good 'ole Rodger at the moment. She had received very few letters since he had gone traveling off to China- In fact the Grand total in all those months, was about 2 letters. If Rodger wasn't such a boring person, Ginny may have assumed he had enjoyed an affair.  
  
Going to his house for Dinner wouldn't be easy. Ginny had always found it hard to talk to people that she hadn't seen for large amounts of time. Especially a specific boyfriend she wasn't even sure how she felt about anymore....  
  
But Ginny would not think about that.  
  
Shoving herself up from the bed, Ginny ignored the bright red spots that danced through her eyes and made her way lazily to the bathroom.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Draco waited staring at the door for what seemed like hours. He had seen the look on his father's face... the look that meant business.  
  
Closing his eyes, and holding his glass of brandy against his forehead, every worse case scenario ran through Draco's mind.  
  
The last time his father had looked like that Draco had been forced to enter a 'survivor course': six days of living off the wilderness, avoiding Dragons and generally starving... all because his father thought him soft. Of course, eventually Draco had begun to enjoy himself. To his complete and utter surprise, sleeping under the stars had turned out to be his cup of tea... that unexpected revelation had prompted him to start his world traveling expedition.  
  
A sudden flash of memory broke through a shadowed area of his mind:  
  
It was in a sleazy nightclub set in the depths of the Vietnamese dregs of society. Draco had never felt so far from home as he passed through the hazy, dark room filled with pole dancing exotic beauties. Of course, to Draco this couldn't really be described as a bad feeling. In fact, this was the moment he had dreamed of his entire life. He felt bad... a rebellious son lead into temptation. Drinking. Booze. Gambling. Prostitution. It was the exact setting that any young millionaire would take advantage of. Feeling a hand settle on his shoulder, Draco turned around only to be confronted with a pair of dark liquid eyes.  
  
"Feeling lucky, mister."  
  
Her English was good, only holding a trace of a Vietnamese accent.  
  
"Depends. Where is my luck coming from?"  
  
She smirked, the gesture managed to enthrall Draco completely.  
  
"Anywhere you want... if you can pay for it."  
  
Tossing her long mane of dark hair and winking cheekily at him, she strode through the crowd. Her actions were not lost on Draco as he gazed after her, feeling as if his heart could burst.  
  
Taking a deep swig of his brandy, Draco shook his head furiously as though he could rid himself of these thoughts by doing so. Sighing, he stared glumly at his desk. He had assumed he had dismissed these thoughts. He thought he had banished them from his very existence. It seemed the past was taunting him, making him remember events that were so much better forgotten.  
  
"Will you forget me?"  
  
Eyes wide, sheets tangled, atmosphere wild, unforgiving yet unforgotten.  
  
"Never."  
  
Slamming his glass down onto the table, Draco counted to ten slowly. He would not think of her again.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Lucius Malfoy was very clever.  
  
He had to be. Escaping accusations of being a Death Eater twice was no easy feat.  
  
Of course, people had protested. That nasty little brat, Harry Potter, even went as far as to lodge an official testimony. Luckily, the minister at the time, Cornelius Fudge was so short sighted and naïve that he declared Lucius, his precious payroll provider, completely innocent. Poor Harry was apparently just delusional.  
  
Everyday Lucius thanked Rita Skeeter.  
  
Now all he had to contend with was his own son- and gee, wasn't that easy. It was made worse by the fact Draco was getting weak. What sort of a man married a- well Lucius couldn't even begin to comprehend his daughter-in- law. Not only that, but since his return to England Draco hadn't even begun to search for a new Job.  
  
He expects to live off my charity-just like that? No-go Son.  
  
If there was one thing Lucius was good at, it was solving a tough problem- in the most, well, encouraging way as possible.  
  
Turning his attention back toward the sheet of parchment spread out in front him; he made sure everything was in order for the third time. He waved away the emergency owl from Gringotts impatiently; it had done its job. Draco wasn't going to know what had hit him.  
  
Oh yes...Lucius was very clever.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Well? How do I look?"  
  
Ginny tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for a sleepy Clarissa to give her an answer.  
  
"Umm...Great, I guess."  
  
Clarissa yawned widely, showing in every way possible that Ginny could have been the Queen and she wouldn't have cared.  
  
It was about half-an-hour after Ginny had struggled off her bed, and Clarissa was lounging on their cushy, blue sofa, blatantly ignoring Ginny.  
  
Ginny was stating to get annoyed. She had worked hard on her appearance tonight. Rodger had owled a Dress in to her, a plain, black strapless with an elegant black bag. He had also attached a note politely asking her if she could possibly wear her hair up that evening...  
  
"Not that I dislike it down Darling," The note had continued, "Its just I have a couple of very Important colleagues around tonight- and their wives. I want us to make a very good impression, and your hair down looks lovely- just not the look I think is suitable."  
  
Ginny had been almost offended by the note. Eventually though, she had admitted defeat. It was Rodger's party and he had been good enough to invite her...  
  
Actually no- he had a right to invite me. I'm only his girlfriend, for christsake!  
  
Sighing heavily, Ginny turned her attention back to Clarrisa is a last single attempt at winning her good approval.  
  
"Look. I just want to know a single question. Roger has important people over for dinner tonight. I need to look smart, sassy... someone who he will be proud to say is his girlfriend."  
  
This possibly wasn't the best thing to say to someone who walked around wearing t-shirts pronouncing 'Men are bigoted and Women deserve equal Wizarding Rights.'  
  
Clarissa immediately sat up straight, suppressed anger burning in her eyes. Actually, Clarissa was the type who never really suppressed anything- that might have been why she had now decided to take a rather impressive verbal swing at Ginny.  
  
"If that's the only reason you're trying to look nice, well then I guess you look nice, but do you feel nice? Because on the inside you look like shit. Don't you want to look nice for Roger because you love him? Or is it all about appearances for you, Ginny Weasley."  
  
Ginny looked at Clarissa wide-eyed. That had been completely unexpected and had obviously been bottled up for quite some time. The worst of it was that Clarissa was actually made sense.  
  
"You see here Clarissa Manchest-"  
  
"No you see here." Clarissa cut in. "For months I've seen you mope around the flat because of that creep. If he's not somewhere like Timbuktu researching some crap about a dead lady's uncle's sister who has an obsession with the wood in wands, he's busy ordering you what to wear. What do you want with this guy? He's taken so much from you... what's your return?"  
  
"Nothing alright!" Ginny shouted in defeat, her voice breaking slightly. She turned away before Clarissa could notice the tears rolling down her face. She had no desire to stay around, with Clarissa looking so viciously into her soul. Not bothering to say goodbye, she struggled towards the door and ripped it open.  
  
It wasn't until she was outside, back against the door that she relented to her emotions.  
  
"I want nothing." She murmured quietly, the tears still wet on her cheeks. "He has given me my security."  
  
She then took out her hand mirror and fixed up her makeup. She smiled into the mirror, slightly puffy eyed, but still the image of the girlfriend Roger was to keen to show off.  
  
"I need no more." She said before bringing out her wand and Apparating.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The party was everything Ginny had expected it to be: boring, stuffy and filled with people that fitted the exact description of both qualities.  
  
She flittered around in her little black dress, checking all the guests had enough champagne and nibbles, or that 'so and sob's' husband wasn't cheating on thingy-ma-bob.  
  
Ginny was seriously contemplating suicide with a corn chip.  
  
Instead, she offered the very same corn chip to an elderly looking couple, who smilingly introduced themselves as Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Abbot.  
  
"So what business are you in dear?" asked Mrs. Abbot smiling.  
  
"Uh, The Travel Industry..." Ginny replied with a very forced smile on her face.  
  
"Really!" asked Mrs. Abbot, placing a conspiratorial hand on Ginny's arm. "My daughter was going to get into that after she finished school...In the end she backed out though...I heard the pay was simply atrocious!"  
  
She then let out a light tinkling laugh, which Ginny tried with all her strength (not much left now) to match.  
  
Well actually, if you want you can humiliate me horribly and insult my work- only if you want of course.  
  
A silence fell over the conversation. Ginny tried hard to break it by saying in a tight voice, "Yes, uh, well...How old is your daughter."  
  
"Well, I think she's a couple of years younger than you, dear!"  
  
"Yes?" Ginny asked, enthusiastic to rekindle the conversation, Rodger would be thrilled. "What year did she graduate from Hogwarts? She did go to Hogwarts didn't she?"  
  
"Yes dear- we wouldn't have settled for any less! Hmmm... Lets see. Hannah graduated the year after Mitch, which means..." after thinking for a while she grabbed her silent husbands arm and began to tug. "Dear, what year did Hannah graduate?"  
  
Ginny was starting to piece together the pieces of the puzzle- the name Hannah Abbot was unsettlingly familiar...  
  
"That's it!" said Mrs. Abbot suddenly, grabbing Ginny's attention again. "I really can't remember dear, I have 4 children you know- very hard to keep up with. But if you graduated a few years before Hannah, then I'm sure we can piece it together! Oh, a puzzle!" She grabbed her unfortunate husbands arm again. "How absolutely fun!"  
  
"Swell!" said Ginny, mouth trembling.  
  
"Now, Hannah is twenty-nine- wait? Is she twenty-nine, dear?"  
  
"No, she's twenty-eight, remember? Always old for her grade."  
  
"That's it! So if Hannah is twenty-eight, and you graduated a few years before- how old are you Virginia dear?"  
  
"Twenty-five." said Ginny miserably. She had no idea she could pass for thirty, and like any modern young woman, she was absolutely terrified of that particular age.  
  
Dear God- please don't tell me I'm 26 in a matter of days.  
  
Mrs. and Mr. Abbot looked mortified. Mr. Abbot decided to rescue his unfortunate wife, by exclaiming in a false Happy sort of tone, "Look, Dear. If I'm not mistaken the Turpins are over there. Don't you have to talk to Mrs. Turpin about, uh, cards?"  
  
"Don't be silly dear, Mrs. Turpin doesn't even play cards- OUCH!" Mr. Abbot had kicked her rather obviously in the shin. Catching on, she replied in a loud voice, "Oh! That Mrs. Turpin-yes, uh, she had to show...Mrs. Turpin! Oh Mrs. Turpin dear! Excuse me Gwen..."  
  
"Its Ginny..." She said quietly as they bustled away. She had to get out of this god-forsaken room.  
  
Struggling through the crowds, she ignored the little shrieks of artificially done-up ladies as their chardonnays went flying. Truthfully, she didn't care how many feathers she ruffled, being in that room was slowly suffocating her.  
  
Stepping out onto the balcony, a cool breeze hit her face harshly. She glanced down at her small cocktail dress, instantly regretting her choice. Actually, to be fair, she would have to say 'Roger's choice.'  
  
All night she had been catering to his every whim. In front of his business mates she said she had been longing for a beer, however, when she excused herself to get one, Roger had asked her very impatiently if she had actually meant to say she wanted wine.  
  
Fidgeting, Ginny stared out at the stars... she was unsure if she could keep up this charade any longer. With that thought came a sudden memory flash.  
  
"Tom? Tom? Why are you doing this to me?"  
  
"Shut up little girl... it will all be over soon. I think death will suit you."  
  
"Please...leave-"  
  
"I said shut your mouth or I may just have to kill you sooner."  
  
"No... Please."  
  
Her voice was very small. He could feel her fears, and he was feeding on her weakness.  
  
The memory went as quickly as it had come, leaving Ginny wide-eyed and dismissing any thoughts of leaving Roger. He was her security... her normality. She could not, and would not, give that up.  
  
"Virginia, darling," A sophisticated voice sounded behind her. Ginny turned around to see Roger standing in the doorway. He looked extremely handsome in his dark blue dress robes, brown hair swept back from his face. Ginny supposed he thought so as well. Taking a part veela to a ball once had boosted his ego for life.  
  
"What is it Roger?"  
  
"Why aren't you inside flattering my guests? Ginny, sweetie...you know business deals don't come out of thin air!"  
  
"Why don't you flatter your own guests for God's sake." Ginny had snapped back before even realizing what she was doing. It looked like her rebelliousness wasn't just confined to the work place.  
  
He took a step closer to her, obviously realizing his mistake. "I know I should, but you do it so much better..."  
  
Ginny looked at him in disgust. She wasn't exactly sure where he thought flattery would take him. "See... they don't want to be propositioned by a boring old 30 year old. They want youth. A young redheaded temptress would just seal the deal."  
  
He obviously thought himself charming. Ginny felt as if she would vomit at any chosen moment. He almost made her sound like a prostitute. She took a step back, only to have him corner her against a balcony rail. He leaned forward and whispered into her ear,  
  
"And I can't say that I would say no to that same temptress."  
  
Personally space, buddy. Ginny was thinking, although she turned to him and said neutrally,  
  
"Uh... really?"  
  
"Truthfully..." he said leaning in a planting a sloppy wet kiss on Ginny's mouth.  
  
Ugh... Finally, Ginny managed to push him off her, scowling at him. Now he was treating her like a prostitute! It wouldn't be right now anyway- not even including the fact, that he had left her alone for so many weeks...then he expected to just return and use her anyway he seemed fit! He had some nerve.  
  
"Not here, Roger." she hissed. "You have guests."  
  
It was the second feeble excuse she had spun that very same day, but Roger seemed to buy it.  
  
"Oh Ginny...you are so very modest. We'll see if I can unravel you one day, eh?"  
  
Not in your dreams...  
  
"Well, uh, let's go inside then."  
  
"Certainly my dear lady." replied Roger offering her his arm.  
  
As they entered the room, Ginny tried to work out her feelings for Roger. When they had started dating, everything had been fine, not wonderful but enough to stay together. He was away for such long sections of the year that, truthfully, it was hard for Ginny to ever figure out what was going on. She wondered why this time she was so irritated with him. Maybe it was just because she was still upset about her job.  
  
Sighing, she grabbed a glass of wine off the nearest tray. She pretty much sculled it down, earning herself an amused look from the waiter.  
  
"So did I tell you about the cauldron's yet!" asked Rodger as another waiter walked past.  
  
"No honey!" said Ginny smiling as she grabbed a shot of vodka. "Go right ahead though..."  
  
Here's to you Normality...though Ginny, as she knocked it back. Here's to you.  
  
* * * * * Meanwhile on the other side of London, in Draco's suburban flat, a very different confrontation was taking place.  
  
Lucius Malfoy had returned.  
  
He had seated Draco across from him, and was now staring at him intently, a smirk itching to come across his face. All Draco wanted to do was reached over and poke him or something. That would stop that bloody smirk... Please God; don't tell me my smirk looks even remotely like that.  
  
"Now Draco," His father said, cutting through Draco's thoughts. "We both know that you're getting a little, well... irresponsible."  
  
"I beg your pardon!" Draco said in an outraged sort of voice. "I am not irresponsible, thank you very much. I even do my own shopping! You go look in the 'fridge. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't there fresh milk in there!"  
  
"Yes, yes." said Lucius looking very bored as Draco started to list his weekly shopping list.  
  
"I even buy the cheese-" Draco suddenly looked up and noticed Lucius' apparent boredom.  
  
"You aren't listening to a word I say, are you?"  
  
"No." Lucius answered and cleared his throat, raising an eyebrow. "I've decided to cut off your inheritance." He said simply without blinking an eye.  
  
"Oh Ok, really...WHAT!" Draco began to stutter and wave his hands around wildly. He had no idea what he had been expecting, but it certainly wasn't that!  
  
"Calm down, boy," said Lucius, greatly enjoying his son making a complete fool of himself. "I'm not cutting it off permanently."  
  
"Well that's a relief... Now I only have to live FIVE YEARS OR SO COMPLETLEY BROKE!"  
  
"Oh, I'm sure it won't be nearly that long...Maybe only four and three quarter years."  
  
Draco regained his composure enough to ask in an icy cool tone, "And why this sudden urge to completely destroy my life?"  
  
"As I said before, you, Draco, are irresponsible. I want you to take up a business somewhere and settle down. The time has passed where you can be a millionaire without working. You need the discipline."  
  
"But father, I've already done what you asked me to do! Has it slipped your mind already, the four long years I spent as a manager in your watch company chain?"  
  
Lucius impatiently checked his watch. Draco was taking this harder than expected.  
  
"Draco, I know that. After you finished school, I thought you had a great future ahead of you. I was willing to support you... give you that company on a gold platter, but instead you go gallivanting off around the world." Lucius paused and rose throwing his hands in the air, "And then, get married! Of all things Draco...why that?"  
  
"Don't mention my wife." Draco said teeth gritted. "Of all things, do not taunt me with that."  
  
"You see, Draco? You need something... something to build your life up again. This time I'm not going to help you."  
  
"How am I even supposed to start a business if you plan on disconnecting me from all my money?"  
  
"Your grandfather left you a large business account. You will use that, to any way you see fit. Once I have decided that you are running a successful business and making a substantial profit, I shall hand you back your key. Any questions?"  
  
He said the last sentence in a deadly voice. Draco knew even if he did have some, they would not be answered. He glowered at the injustice of it all. It was true. He had spent four years in a sweaty, ugly factory making sure things went smoothly. Lucius should have been pleased with him... not suddenly cutting off the one thing in his life Draco was certain about. It was absurd!  
  
Knowing that he had no escape, he handed his father the golden key, his lifeline. In return, his father handed him a small bronze key, the key to his new business account.  
  
"Thank you, Draco." said Lucius meanly, "And good luck."  
  
Lucius stood and left the room.  
  
Draco was unsure on what to do next. Finally, he grabbed The Daily Prophet off the kitchen table and flipped through to the back, to the employment section. He ran a finger down the page, reading each heading slowly under his breath before, suddenly; he found what he was looking for. Tearing it out, he turned quickly towards the fireplace and conjured up a blue flame. Chucking in a handful of floo powder from the small jar, stored atop the mantle, he chucked it in and waited for the flames to turn green.  
  
"Job Express, please." he called into the flames. After a brief wait, a pretty, blonde head appeared in the fire.  
  
"Hello, Job Express, Employment section. How can I help you?"  
  
"I would like to make an appointment... does tomorrow suit you?" Draco mumbled, wishing he were in a pub.  
  
Later, he assured himself. Later. 


	3. Of Blondes, Orenda's and a little Tax

If Clarissa had been surprised at the sight of her (usually responsible) flat mate, who was currently pissed off her face, she didn't show it.  
  
Instead, she escorted Ginny into her bedroom, thanked the tall wizard who had so dutifully dropped her home, and changed Ginny, with some difficulty, into her boring striped pajamas.  
  
It wasn't, however, until Ginny began to yell the Afghani national anthem that Clarissa wondered whether things were all right.  
  
"How'd you learn that?" she asked, devoid of anything more interesting to say.  
  
Ginny shook her head and promptly started humming greens leaves (the fore- mentioned "ice-cream truck song").  
  
Clarissa sighed as she gently pushed Ginny into bed and pulled up the covers. She was on her way out of the door when she heard a small voice calling from underneath the mountain of bed covers.  
  
"I used to have a crush on the famous Harry Potter."  
  
Clarissa sighed again. She knew...everybody in the wizarding world did. Ginny, however, had never quite realized this fact, and mistook (in her current state) Clarissa's look of extreme exasperation to be a look of complete interest.  
  
"Yah-huh..." she said seriously. "I liked him the way a chipmunk likes...well chips."  
  
Clarissa bit back the urge to say "Really, Ginny? Chipmunks like crisps? And here I was all along thinking they had a passion for nuts...bad Clarissa."  
  
Instead she looked at Ginny and said in a controlled voice, "Oh...uh, how interesting."  
  
"Then he saved me...he beat that great snake up alright."  
  
For the first time Clarissa took some interest. She had heard brief mentions of the whole 'Harry saved Ginny' thing, and quite frankly she was eager to hear the whole story.  
  
"I know!" said Ginny still involved with her one-person conversation. "Mean old Tom."  
  
Now there are 2 kinds of people in relation to how they treat drunken people. The first is always caring. They refuse to listen to their friends as they spill their most innermost secrets... and of course, tuck them into bed. The second is extremely devious. They pry into their friend's private life shamelessly collecting information that can be used against them at a later point.  
  
Clarissa was of the second nature.  
  
"What did Tom do?" she asked in a caring sort of voice.  
  
"Tom was bad...He made me bad too." replied Ginny mock seriously.  
  
"How was he bad?"  
  
"He wrote to me...I had a crush on him too." at this she giggled before slipping off into unconsciousness.  
  
Leaving a very dissatisfied Clarissa behind.  
  
So far all she had managed to pry out of Ginny, was that there was a mean guy called Tom...who was also bad, and somehow he had managed to corrupt Ginny by writing to her...  
  
Sighing in defeat, she turned off the light and strolled back to her room.  
  
Gee Ginny...she thought, looking over at her drunken friend. Rodger's must have been some party.  
  
Clarissa's room was pretty much the complete opposite to Ginny's. Instead of being pretty and frilly it was tough and modern. Without the influence of a large, caring (and slightly odd) family, Clarissa was hard around the edges. It was her life, and she was quite prepared to live it that way.  
  
Her room was in a sort of square shape, and long ago Clarissa had decided to match her accessories to fit into the pattern. Her bed was large and plain, with a dark red bedspread. Ginny often tried to convince Clarissa to bewitch it to change colors- or to glow slightly. Clarissa always flatly refused.  
  
Next to the bed was a large walk-in cupboard as well as a silvery, glass topped coffee table that Clarissa used as a bedside table.  
  
She was also blessed with having the only room with an on suite. This arrangement had come solely from the fact that Clarissa earned more, and there forth distributed more to the apartment.  
  
Any sane person might have found a richer roommate. Someone who could have helped her cause more financially. Clarissa, however, liked Ginny, and refused to share a flat with someone (who in her words) 'was a hyped-up, egotistical monster, which earns more than they deserve.'  
  
Besides, no one had ever called Clarissa 'sane.'  
  
Muggle born, she insisted on having a T.V. At first Ginny had been skeptical ("Seriously! What normal wizard has a 'Tele-ka-vision.' ") But Clarissa had persisted, and now they were the proud owner's of a large screened Television. Ginny had even come to love it...that is, love the shows about home-care and documentaries. Clarissa had once even caught her watching the soaps.  
  
Wish I were at Rodger's...Sighed Clarissa, turning the T.V to a show on the B.B.C. Imagine the hot-guy lawers-mmmmmmm, flings.  
  
Besides, Clarissa had a pennant for getting thoroughly pissed.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Draco, in much the same fashion as Ginny, managed to get hopelessly pissed that night. His brandy had also doubled up as a sort of headache and memory cure. For the first time in a while he even managed to forget.  
  
Of course, like Ginny he woke up the next day with a headache so bad it threatened to overwhelm him.  
  
Struggling out of bed, as soon as his wand began its usual routine of playing popular wizarding music at precisely 7am, Draco almost fell to the floor as his sheets tangled up around his ankles.  
  
"Bloody hell." he muttered.  
  
He was hangover, pissed off and what was worse; he was expected to contact Dirk Stevens this morning for information on Businesses that were up for sale.  
  
The situation only became worse after he struggled into the kitchen to find Lorenda, his long suffering cleaner and general home help, sitting in his kitchen raiding his cereal cabinet.  
  
"Morning Drakie," she said in a voice so cheerful it was on the verge of being illegal.  
  
"Hi." he said shortly.  
  
"Well aren't we Mr. Cheery-chops this morning."  
  
"Do you like your job?"  
  
Lorenda raised an eyebrow, still managing to look painfully happy, then shrugged and continued to munch loudly on her cornflakes. "Can you possibly stop eating all my cereal? I had a girl over here the other day...she wasn't able to eat her preferred morning breakfast of oatmeal thanks to a certain house-keeper that shall remain anonymous."  
  
"Can I have a hint?"  
  
"Alright...It starts with a L and ends with O-renda."  
  
"I can't possibly think who you are referring to. Besides...as if you even care about this girl and her cereal choice anyway. Can you even remember her name?"  
  
"Uh. Yes. Umm.... Can I get back to you?"  
  
Lorenda having finished her cereal stood up and gave Draco's hair an affectionate ruffle before heading into the kitchen to start washing up.  
  
Draco sighed watching her as she left, then got back to hacking into his apple with a blunt knife. Being rich, he considered it beneath him to use his mouth.  
  
"So what's this I hear about you business hunting, hmm?" Lorenda called from her perch in the kitchen.  
  
"How come whenever something bad happens to me you're always the first to know?"  
  
"Lets just say dating you fathers butler has its possibilities. Besides, I want to always be the first one pointing at you saying 'Hah'."  
  
"Your dating Alfistine?" Draco gasped staring incrediusly at her. "But he's like, 78 years old."  
  
Lorenda rolled her eyes. "He's only 50 dumbarse. As that's only 10 years older than me, I'm sure I can make some allowances."  
  
Draco checked his watch scowling.  
  
"As much as I'd like to stay and chat about you dating a dinosaur, at the moment I am emotionally disturbed by the thought of you and good 'ole Alfie together and I also have an interview to attend. This is where I leave you...Aurevoir."  
  
"Can't you just say 'Toodles' like a normal person?"  
  
"If a tree falls in the woods and there's nobody around to hear it, does it make any noise?"  
  
"Oh, be gone...you little fiend."  
  
Draco winked rakishly as he brought out his wand and apparated with a pop.  
  
"You son of a gun." called Lorenda after him, not quite knowing what it meant.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Draco reappeared with another loud pop in front of a stylishly designed building, deep in the heart of Hogsmeade.  
  
Hurrying up the bronze steps as he was running drastically late for his interview, Draco tried as hard as possible to concentrate on keeping his carefully slicked back hair neat.  
  
Finally after what seemed like a century he arrived at the top of the stairs. Only then it occurred to him that he could, and should have, apparated.  
  
Glaring resentfully at the stairs, he started to push open the heavy glass doors. After a moment, he paused and then just to show he could, apparated inside.  
  
His first impression was certainly a bright one. The walls and ceiling were painted a bright canary yellow, and the furniture was orange. Draco suspected the coloring was a weak attempt at cheering up the un-employed.  
  
"Can I help you?" asked a cheery voice that matched the décor.  
  
Draco spun around and came face to face with the blonde he had spoken to the previous evening. He noticed she was extremely pretty, with her long, shiny hair and red lips.  
  
"Yes. I have an appointment with Mr. Stevens at nine?" Draco tried as hard as possible in his present tired state to act debonair.  
  
"And your name?"  
  
"Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."  
  
For some reason the receptionist found this decidedly amusing.  
  
"What?" asked Draco annoyed.  
  
"Bond. James Bond." She replied in the same tone as Draco.  
  
Now Draco had never heard of this Bond fellow, but he was pretty sure this cocky receptionist was mocking him. If there was one thing Draco hated, it was to be made fun of.  
  
Glaring ferociously at her, he said in the shortest tone he could possibly manage, "Look. Have I missed my appointment or what?"  
  
"No sir." The receptionist answered in a more professional tone. "If you would care to sit for a moment, Mr. Stevens will see you soon."  
  
Draco spun around and marched over to a large orange sofa. He glanced over at the blonde then narrowed his eyes. She was giggling again.  
  
Draco sighed and picked up the only magazine on the small table next to him. To his utter disgust, it happened to be Witch Weekly. Flipping through it, his attention was caught by a large, glossy picture in the center of the Magazine.  
  
He immediately recognized Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Potters little sidekicks...The Weasel and the Mudblood. Scowling he noticed the small blurb attached to the photo. His scowl only worsened when he read what had been written.  
  
***Love at Second Sight.***  
  
Any sane person, who has ever seen Dr Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley together, would never doubt the perfection of the pairing. It seems the best friends of Harry Potter finally have received the security they have so long fought for.  
  
"It wasn't easy..." admits Ron, a grin spread among the freckles adjourning his face. "Truthfully, if somebody had told me back in fifth year that I would end up marrying 'Mione, I would have shipped them off with a one way ticket to St Mungo's."  
  
"You fought a lot then?" I asked, watching the expressions of glee filling their faces.  
  
"Like Cat and Dog." laughs Hermione, as Ron playfully punches her arm. A more serious tone is created however, when Ron comments off handedly, "And then there was always the issues with the war and He who shall not be named."  
  
"It must have been horrendous, trying to grow a relationship with that hanging over your heads. I can imagine the pressure you must have been under."  
  
Hermione nods in agreement, and Ron places a hand carefully around her shoulders. It is immediately clear that they have come through their heartache's stronger than ever.  
  
To lighten the mood, Ron, Always the joker, asks in a playful tone, "So...want to know what color Pj's Harry wears?"  
  
Laughing I assure him, I do not (although I'm guessing a number of 'Witch Weekly' readers will be after my blood tomorrow.)  
  
Hermione turns to face Ron, with a look of concern mingled with passion and love. At that moment WW's Photographer, Colin Creevy snaps their photos. As you can see in this interview, and of course by the picture, Ron and Hermione have certainly discovered Love at second sight.  
  
***Sadie Mayley. Staff Reporter Hermione and Ron will be married on March 20th, in Paris. For more information on Harry Potter, turn to page 16, for "Potter files," an in- depth look at Harry's more personal life.***  
  
Draco felt as if he could throw up. Any attempts were thwarted however, by 'the Blonde' (as Draco had dubbed her) calling out, "He will see you now...Second Corridor to the left."  
  
Standing up sharply, Draco wasted no time in saying good-bye and stormed off down the corridor. That little 'Potter and Friends" shit had really dampened his mood.  
  
The corridor was long and thin, and when Draco finally reached the appointed door, he took a long, deep breath to calm him self slightly.  
  
After he had decided that he was fit for human contact, he swung open the door and took in his surroundings.  
  
At a large desk in front of him, sat a dark haired, middle-aged wizard. Upon seeing Draco enter, he motioned to the seat in front of him, and smiled warmly.  
  
"Good afternoon Mr. Malfoy. Please take a seat."  
  
Draco sat down, and smiled wryly at whom he presumed was Mr. Stevens.  
  
"Good morning Sir," he replied.  
  
"So young Draco, I hear you're out to buy a company?"  
  
"That's right."  
  
"May I ask what profession you are interested in?"  
  
Drano considered his answer carefully. He hadn't really thought about what sort of company he should buy. Most of his worries had been based on what would happen if there was nothing to buy.  
  
"Can you give me a general idea of what's up for sale?"  
  
"Well...we have a shoe company, and then there's always the Wand suppliers- you know? The big deal?"  
  
Draco nodded his head, bored. None of those companies seemed remotely interesting to him.  
  
"Got anything else?"  
  
"Well...not much, aside from 'Spellbound", you know? That small travel agency...its in deep shit though. Not really the greatest investment."  
  
Draco perked up at the sound of traveling. He was curious straight away.  
  
"What's seems to be the trouble with this agency?"  
  
Mr. Stevens looked at him quizzically, he obviously couldn't understand why anyone would be interested in a broke company. Shrugging, he replied, "Well, its pretty much been swamped by bigger companies. Their Boss, Franklin, is very old fashioned. He's pretty much tried to keep up with the traditional ideas. The problem is that, everyone knows about these ideas. Its nothing new...people just aren't interested anymore."  
  
"But if they tried something new?"  
  
"There isn't really much to try...They've made their holiday plans bigger, added special deals to Hawaii. What else can they do? If luxurious holidays don't sell...what will?"  
  
"Something new."  
  
Mr. Stevens gave Draco an annoyed stare. Draco, however, was too far lost in his thoughts to care.  
  
Why was it so necessary for a travel agency to sell luxury holidays? When he had traveled around the world, most people he had met were perfectly content to camp under the stars. In fact, Draco had only met a grand total of 6 people, in all his 4 rough years, which preferred to be sun baking in a hotel.  
  
The wheels in his head were turning rapidly. Lucius had said he must build up a company, and if he was expected to make something resembling shit into a multi-million dollar corporation, he may as well do at least something he knew...and liked.  
  
That said if there was thing Draco knew like the back of his hand, it was traveling rough. He still kept a journal about the amount of times he had slept on a rock, or in a small, rough visiting home in Nepal. Yep, Draco was the expert on the hard life...and he was sure a majority of the wizarding world was too. He decided to take a risk.  
  
"So is the traveling thingy still up for sale?"  
  
"Sir...I really think you're making a mistake. The company is dead. It has no money in it."  
  
"Well, I have money to invest."  
  
"Its not just that! Even if you did have to money, the idea is old. Nobody cares about a small struggling business, especially one that several other companies can beat- with much cheaper deals."  
  
"Well what if I used a different idea? A different tact?"  
  
"Sir- I'm serious, there's nothing that can be done."  
  
"Well then, I am willing to take that risk. I have money to invest and nothing to lose."  
  
Mr. Stevens stared at Draco incredulously. He obviously couldn't believe the nerve (and utter stupidity) of the man standing in front of him.  
  
"Its up to you, of course. However, sir, I strongly suggest against it."  
  
"I take head of your warning, but you must understand- I really have nothing to lose."  
  
"Its your call, sir." He had finally given up. "Please sign this form, stating that if you, Draco Sebastian Malfoy, fail in business, we hold no responsibility."  
  
After a long exchange with Franklin, via floo, and a million forms later, Draco stood up abruptly.  
  
"When can I be expected at my new company?"  
  
"On Wednesday sir."  
  
"Thank you very much, Mr. Stevens. It has been a pleasure doing business with you."  
  
Draco stood up, tipped his hat, and headed for the door.  
  
"Just out of curiosity..." called Mr. Stevens, after him.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"What exactly are you planning on doing to this business."  
  
"Actually I want to turn it into a travel agent for extreme tours...you know, back-packing in Nepal, swimming with crocodiles in Australia. I may even add in some broomstick jumping on the Niagara Falls...well, Toodles."  
  
Mr. Stevens was gob smacked as he watched Draco saunter out the door.  
  
* * * * *  
  
-Wednesday- i.e. the day Draco goes to see his 'investment.'  
  
Ginny sat on her desk rubbing her head.  
  
After the incident that other night, she had sworn off alcohol forever.  
  
She had tried to work up the enthusiasm to say a bright 'Hi' to Franklin, who for once in a long, long time looked happy. But grumpy as she was, Ginny could only manage a weak grunt.  
  
She sighed heavily as she tried to file the tax that several employees's had yet to pay. The numbers swarmed in front of her eyes, however, and she felt extremely dizzy.  
  
Maybe I'm just getting my period...or it could be pre-birthday stress.  
  
For it was Ginny's twenty-sixth birthday tomorrow. She suspected she may have been depressed, because now she was closer to thirty, than to twenty.  
  
Wincing as she cut her hand on an envelope for the second time, she tried to think positive thoughts. She really wasn't looking forward to going to 'The Burrow' tomorrow.  
  
Sure, it was big and warm and fuzzy- blurry around the edges, but really, was that a good thing or a bad thing? For someone like Ginny, who spent at least 3 hours a day pretending to be normal, it was not that much of a great thing visiting somewhere as unusual as 'The Burrow'.  
  
She wondered what 'exciting' surprise her family had devised for her this year? She hated having a birthday so close to Christmas...people were always so 'happy-go-lucky.'  
  
"Ginny, can you file this please?" A cheery voice cut through her thoughts. Glancing up, she noticed Franklin standing next to her desk, jumping on one foot.  
  
-Guess he's still rather happy.  
  
"Oh, and I'm expecting an important visitor today- please floo around and make sure everyone keep's their offices tidy."  
  
"Who?" asked Ginny, intrigued?  
  
"Oh- that's a surprise!"  
  
Ginny shrugged and rolled her eyes. Franklin was usually more practical than this.  
  
"So do you-" But it was to late. Franklin had already hopped off down the hall.  
  
Sighing, Ginny got out her floor powder and chucked it into the small, business fire.  
  
"Hello, Linda? Franklin has an important visitor coming later..."  
  
"Really?" replied Linda's head.  
  
"Yup. Can you pass it on?"  
  
"Sure, got any idea's to who it might be?"  
  
"No idea."  
  
"Hmmm....oh well, ciao, Bella."  
  
"Good-bye to you too, little misses Italian!"  
  
She then cut off the line, and chucked some more powder in. After messaging another 4 people, Ginny assumed that by the end of the hour, everyone would know.  
  
With nothing else to consume her time, Ginny fidgeted in worry, wondering whether this mysterious visitor could be the answer to all their problems. It seemed odd to now worry about someone who could save them- in truth, Ginny was more comfortable with worrying about them failing. It least that was definite.  
  
Deciding it was better to block it all out, she decided to focus back on the taxes. This was what she was doing 2 hours later, when the mysterious visitor, dropped in.  
  
She could hear Franklin as footsteps sounded lightly down the hallway, explaining to the M.V (Ginny's decided nickname for 'Mysterious visitor') about how their offices ran. Ginny's heart was uplifted immediately. It sounded like this person had every intention of buying their company.  
  
"And this is, Linda, our Brochure manager and occasional writer."  
  
"How do you do?" came Linda's voice. Ginny's nerves were now mounting alarmingly. Linda's office was just two doors down the corridor from her own.  
  
"This is Mick, our Junior Intern, and Sally, our junior staff reporter."  
  
-Shite. Shite. Shite.  
  
"This office is were my personal assistant works. Actually, you could say she lives here. Very good employee- valuable to the company."  
  
The door swung open, and immediately Ginny's carefully practiced smile, dropped straight from her face.  
  
Standing in front of her was someone tall, someone handsome. He had blonde hair slicked back from his face, the same cold, gray eyes she had always remembered, and of course, the trade mark smirk.  
  
-Malfoy!  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, it is a pleasure to introduce you to your new personal assistant, Ginny Weasley."  
  
Ginny just about fainted. She was expected to be personal assistant, to him.  
  
*** "Oh, if it isn't Potter and his little wanna-be girlfriend 'Weasel."  
  
"Shut up Malfoy..."  
  
Harry had always been ready to leap to Ginny's defense. Pity he would have done it for anyone.  
  
"Oh sorry...my mistake. I thought you despised her." ***  
  
"Nice to meet you again, Miss Weasley." The smirk was all over his face, and Ginny could see his eyes laughing at her discomfort.  
  
"S-s-ame to you, M-Mr Malfoy."  
  
*** Ginny had been walking down a corridor, when rough hands pushed her to the ground. "Watch where you're going, you little brat." Malfoy smirked at her, before pushing roughly passed her- stopping, of course, to kick her books to the floor.***  
  
Franklin was looking very confused. Ginny assumed that he was amazed to see his star employee stuttering over anything...or anyone.  
  
Ginny sighed. Seems she was going to calling a lot of sick days in the near future.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Draco stood at the entrance of Spellbound, staring at the doors.  
  
Was he ready to make that step? Would he be a success? Thoughts flitted throughout his head and he tried to muster up enough courage to enter the bronze plated doors.  
  
All it took was 3 little steps, but could he do it? Was he ready to make that step? It was a decision that had to be made, and quickly. Draco had an appointment with the likable manager of Spellbound in 3 minutes to discuss the future of the company.  
  
-You want this. No you need this. Draco told himself firmly. -Take the step.  
  
A memory was jolted into his mind. His thoughts were a repeat of somebody very influential.  
  
*** She ran a finger up his spine. She knew that would win him over.  
  
"Draco...you can do it, Baby."  
  
"You don't understand."  
  
"Oh...but I do. I know you. I told you I did, didn't I?"  
  
"Oh, you do now?" It was a light banter. A weak attempt to avoid the inevitable.  
  
"Yes, Draco, I do. You're running from him, you're scared. But I love you. Can't you see how much I do? Is this crusade of my heart something to take lightly? Will you abandon me so painfully?"  
  
"You know I love you."  
  
"Then write the letter Draco, take the step to ensure our future."  
  
"I can't."  
  
"Yes, you can. You want this, Baby. No, you need this..." ***  
  
Draco shook his head, like a dog coming out of water. The memory stung, cut him deeper than any insult could. Then again, the heart is always easier to break then any bone.  
  
Scowling, he made up his mind. He strode purposely to the door and swung them open.  
  
The corridors were light and airy, different doors leading into small, but cute offices, filled with working employees. Draco had been instructed by Franklin to take the first right at the end of the entrance hall and continue to the end. He followed the instructions down two more corridors. On the way he passed a small kitchen filled with a small party of gossiping Witches, a company lounge and a large meeting room. The company was certainly a big one. Upon reaching the end of the second corridor, he found himself standing in front of a large office with a gold plated sign reading, "F.E. Smith, Company Director."  
  
He knocked sharply on the door, and waited a moment before Franklin's deep voice called, "Come in."  
  
Swinging open the door, he stepped inside a large office. There was colorful pot plants scattered around, several with large luminous flowers. On the walls hung pictures of exotic holiday situations and well as a few framed advertisements. The back wall behind the large Mahogany desk was filled almost completely with a large window, and Draco could see Diagon Alley twisting around outside.  
  
"Good afternoon, Mr Malfoy." came Franklins voice, cutting through his observations. He was sitting at his desk, arms folded, staring at Draco.  
  
"Same to you, Mr. Smith."  
  
"Please, call me Franklin."  
  
"Ok, and please call me Draco."  
  
"Alright, now that's sorted. Please take a seat Draco."  
  
Draco sat down at the plush chair situated in front of the desk, folding his arms into his lap.  
  
"Ok...I'm afraid I might be a bit rusty at this. I haven't introduced anyone to this company for, well, I guess never. It was handed down to me from my father and to him from his father. You can see how this is hard for me."  
  
Draco nodded reassuringly. He was a complete prick to most people, but Draco did know how to work the charm when it was required, and in this situation, it was definitely needed.  
  
"I can see how this will be difficult for you. Let me assure you that I have no plans to tear down this company. I plan on nurturing it...not selling it like a scrap of meat."  
  
-That is, at least until I have my money. Then I probably will.  
  
"And I'm glad for it. Well, Draco, I guess I should give you a more detailed outline of what our company does. I know Mr. Stevens did explain some of it to you, but there's those tiny little technical troubles that need to be sorted out."  
  
"Shoot away." Draco smiled winningly.  
  
"Right well, basically our company advertises holidays requested by the client. We only opt for the best, so usually before we can recommend a place, we have somebody apparate over there to check it out. Once we are satisfied that it had a good deal and all the paper-work is sorted, we are able to advise our Clients to travel there."  
  
"And transportation?"  
  
"We also have to organize portkeys- for the younger witches and wizards, as well as apparations points. It wouldn't do to just have a wizard pop up in the middle of a beach somewhere."  
  
"And the nature of the holidays?"  
  
"Generally we go for the luxury approach. Hawaii, Bali, Cairns...the works."  
  
Draco frowned. It would be hard to convince Franklin of his decided alternative.  
  
"But these Holidays haven't been selling lately?"  
  
"Well...we're not entirely sure it's the holidays. Its just the competition, Travel world, has ripped down several small companies. It's like a business monster. They have the money and the power to offer cheaper deals than us, as well as several new locations. We just can't compete in that anymore, that why I'm hoping your financial backing will come into play."  
  
Taking a deep breath, Draco decided to drop the bombshell. "Mr. Smith,"  
  
"Please, call me Franklin, Draco."  
  
"Franklin, although my backing could be useful to your company, it won't be enough. We still won't be financially up to the competitors and eventually they will bring you down."  
  
"But..."  
  
Draco silenced him then continued. "If we want more popularity, you're going to have to take a different approach."  
  
"I don't see how!"  
  
"Imagine this scenario. An engaged couple, which want to see the world before they tie themselves down to a long and tiring marriage... Will they want to go to Bali? Fiji? No! That's what the honeymoon is for. They're going to want something adventurous...daring. The other companies may offer these sorts of holidays- in limits, but truthfully if you advertised a camping expedition to Romania, you won't get much competition."  
  
"But..."  
  
"And a older married couple. They want to get away from the Kids for a while, but where to go? The beach? But they could take the Kids to the seaside at anytime. What they really need is a break. Imagine a cottage on the peak of the wilderness. Hiking, privacy...no troubles with huge resorts that suck the life out of you...They will have space. With this kind of holiday, you can prey on any age group."  
  
Franklin was nodding now, although he seemed reluctant, he was slowly accepting Draco's idea's.  
  
"I can see where this is going. I just...I- What if it doesn't work!"  
  
"You have nothing to lose."  
  
"Yes but- I would possibly like to gain something."  
  
"Franklin, I am willing to any terms you can offer."  
  
"But-"  
  
"What if I bought the company off you, instead of just backing it?"  
  
"I don't know...it really is a family business."  
  
"Do you have Kids?"  
  
"Just a girl, but she's much more interested in becoming a Medic-witch than running some stuffy old company."  
  
"Then where will it go anyway?"  
  
Franklin was looking very stressed now, and although Draco was ecstatic to be breaking thought to him, the slightly humane side of his felt a tiny bit guilty.  
  
"How much."  
  
"Pardon?" Draco had not expected him to cave so easily.  
  
"How much are you willing to pay for the company."  
  
Draco considered his saving account. Grabbing a piece of paper from the pile in front of him, he scribbled down a number and passed it to Franklin.  
  
Lets just say Franklin, almost jumped out of the window in happiness.  
  
"Do we have a deal?" asked Draco cooly.  
  
"We have a deal."  
  
He reached over to firmly shake Draco's hand.  
  
"Welcome to the company. Let me show you around."  
  
Fifteen minutes later.  
  
Franklin had already pointed out to Draco the kitchen and the lounge as well as the copy room and various meeting rooms. Now they were walking along the office rows, and Franklin was introducing Draco to various members of his staff.  
  
Finally they reached the last row of offices. This one had 4 lined up in a row. The first door was the office of the companies Advertising Executive, Sam Spendle. He seemed like a nice sort of guy...Draco hated him instantly.  
  
After forcing a smile on his face for several minutes, Franklin led him next door  
  
"And this is Linda, our Brochure manager and occasional writer."  
  
Laura seemed all right. She was a pretty sort of girl with her haired pinned back, and a quill tucked behind one ear.  
  
"How do you do?" She asked smiling brightly, hand out stretched.  
  
Draco smiled at her charmingly, and shook took her hand in his. Linda blushed and Draco's smile grew wider. He did so enjoy seduction...  
  
Franklin however apparently did not, as he quickly ushered Draco out the door and into the next smaller office. Two desks were situated on opposite sides of the room, and a young woman was sitting on the nearest one, with a slightly older looking man. Franklin interrupted her in the midst of explaining tax to her collogue, to introduce them to Draco as Mick and Sally, the junior interns of the company.  
  
They seemed quite frankly, terrified of Draco, as they muttered 'hello' very quietly. Draco nodded curtly at them. He wanted to keep and nurture that fear, to improve the work rate of his employee's.  
  
He indicated to Franklin that they should move on, so Franklin led him out of the room, only stopping to compliment Sally on her theories on tax.  
  
The next office was quite big. Franklin explained this as they approached it.  
  
"This office is were my personal assistant works. Actually, you could say she lives here. Very good employee- valuable to the company."  
  
He then swung open the door, his hand covering the label of whom the office actually belonged to.  
  
Draco first impressions of the office were, to say the least 'Neat.' Everything was in order from the color co-ordinate pot plant to the stacks of neatly labeled files. If Drano had ever been able to see the person who ran this offices underwear draw, he believed that they must have labeled a pair for every day of the week.  
  
He turned his attention to the girl sitting at the desk. She was staring at him, her mouth hanging open. Draco was a little puzzled...surely he wasn't that attractive.  
  
He had the sudden urge to stare right back. The girl in front of him was extraordinarily pretty, yet also extremely familiar. Draco tried to piece together where he had seen her before.  
  
She was curvy, yet petite, with large brown eyes and a mane of flowing red hair.  
  
-Red hair?. Oh my God.  
  
Draco's fears were confirmed when Franklin introduced her.  
  
"Mr. Malfoy, it is a pleasure to introduce you to your new personal assistant, Ginny Weasley."  
  
*** "Leave me alone Malfoy!"  
  
"Awww...comm'on weasel- don't you wanna play..." ***  
  
If what Draco had heard was true, Ginny Weasley, as Franklin's assistant was a powerful influence on the company. With only a handshake to confirm the company as his own, and a shady past that definitely involved the Weasley clan somewhere in that mess, Draco had a lot to lose...especially if that little Weasley brat decided to start bad-mouthing him.  
  
Regaining his composure, Draco smiled (at least he thought he smiled- to everyone else in the room it looked very smirky) at Ginny and decided to play it cool.  
  
"Nice to meet you again, Miss Weasley."  
  
She looked up at him, with the expression of a deer caught in the powerful beam of a pair of headlights. Her head on one side, hands trembling visibly, she choked out, "S-s-ame to you, M-Mr Malfoy."  
  
He wondered whether she knew how endearing she looked, with her pretty eyes opened wide. The years had been kind to her- Draco couldn't argue with that, and he would've bet the tables had turned with her and Potter.  
  
Seeing Franklin bewildered look, he wondered if he was being too obvious.  
  
"You to know each other?" Franklin finally asked.  
  
"Old school acquaintances..." Draco said lightly, throwing the still dumbstruck Ginny a look, "Well, shall we continue with our tour then?"  
  
They left the room, with Draco scheming of ways to keep Ginny quiet. He had a feeling that Franklin would make him sign something that would assure him the original staff would be kept. All he needed to do now was to make sure Franklin actually gave him the chance to fill out anything! 


	4. Of contracts, chairs and a spark of sexu...

Chapter 4- part 1.

"So run me through it again?"

"I'm expected to play 'secretary' to my family's arch-enemy."

"Ahhh.. um, it could.be, uh, worse?"

Ginny sighed miserably. Clarissa had been sitting on her bed, feeding her cake and tea, for the last 20 minutes, since she had come back from the office, trying to deal with the new spanner in the works, represented by her new boss.

It was now official. Malfoy had signed the contract and Ginny had witnessed it.and it made her sick.

Sick that someone like Malfoy could waltz into anywhere he dammed well please and buy it out with a snap of his fingers. Sick that he never had to work.never had to suffer. It was especially sick that he could take a man's life work off him, not to mention that now she was the ever so devoted secretary to the bloody git!

Ginny growled, earning herself a concerned look from Clarissa. She was losing her grip, and she didn't like it. Not one bit. 

It had all started that very morning, the day after Malfoy had first appeared into her office.it was a dreary, mellow sort of Thursday.the quiet before the storm.

***Thursday- i.e., the day AFTER Malfoy had viewed his investment.***

"Sally?"

"Morning, Ginny"

"Can you get me the file's for Miss Avery? Soon?"

"Sure Ginny- I'll owl them to you before lunch."

Ginny acknowledged this, with a curt nod. It was perhaps a little harsher than she usually spoke to the interns- but then again, she had a reason to be a little short.

After Malfoy had left the day before, Franklin had skipped into her office, ignoring her dull, irritated mood and offered to take her out to celebrate the following evening, with some friends. She had inquired why they were to celebrate, but he had obviously avoided answering the question, saying mysteriously, "You'll find out tomorrow."

Tomorrow had now come- and Ginny was dreading to know the good (or bad, considering your opinion) news.

She had thrown herself into her work, trying as hard as she could to drown out the butterflies in her stomach.

Why couldn't she get Draco out of her head?

He was a complete asshole.smart mouthed, evil and devastatingly handsome.

_Wait...hold on a tic. Did I just call Draco Malfoy handsome?"___

"Eugh.He's most definitely not!" muttered Ginny to herself under her breath. "He's vile... awful, the very bane of my existence!"

_And yet, so terribly good looking.___

"He is NOT!"

To late, Ginny realized she had been having a conversation with herself- and to make matters worse, somebody else had discovered it seconds before!

"First sign of craziness you know- talking to yourself is never a good thing."

Ginny's head snapped immediately up. Her heart sunk dramatically when she saw who was standing at her door, leaning casually against the frame. 

"What exactly can I help you with, Malfoy?"

"Tsk, tsk...ignoring the authority there, Ginny. Forgotten who's in charge already? Or are you just that slow?"

"I'm dreadfully sorry, Mr. Malfoy, I was just curious to why exactly you are standing in my doorway."

She said this slowly and clearly, just so as he had no choice but to hear the obvious dislike and sarcasm, she dished out, while reclining in her chair- an action she hoped showed her complete lack of respect for him. 

"Oh, I'm sorry, please excuse me. I had no idea I was blocking your little doorway. Darling office you have here by the way," Draco swaggered in through the entrance room and seated himself casually on the edge of her beloved desk. "Tell me, can you manage to squeeze three people in it? Actually, never mind, it just lovely and cozy with just the two of us."

Ginny wondered if it was possible to hate anyone as much as she despised Malfoy. She had only spoken to him for about 10 seconds, in the last 8 or so years, and already he was infuriating her beyond all belief.

Especially now that Franklin wasn't in the room to supervise.

Ginny scooted backwards in her chair, anxious to get as far away from Malfoy as possible. Unfortunately her composture recieded hugly when her chair tipped backwards and she had to scrabble like mad to regain her balance.

Smirking, Draco leaned forward, close to her face. "Scared are we?"

Ginny growled softly under her breath. He was so damned infuriating that she could feel the hate rising through her body, starting with sickly warmth in the bottom of her stomach. But there was something else...an unwanted tingle starting deep inside of her. As much as Ginny hated to admit it, it felt like desire.

Furious with her body for betraying her in such a way, Ginny stood up, with a bang, as the chair went flying into the wall. Draco looked on in amusement- an action, which only further angered her.

"Why. The. Fuck. Are. You. In. my. Office." Ginny practically spat out each word, as she glared viciously at Malfoy.

"Well its like this." he said amiably. "Now that you and me are going to be, well, let's just say close-"

"Don't even think that I would ever being close to you."

Draco held out his left hand and grasped it to his chest. "Why, Ginny, your words are putting a knife through my heart."

"Don't flatter yourself." Ginny muttered, holding out her trembling hand and pretending to inspect her nails. "You haven't got a heart."

"Now, now Ginny," he said low and dangerously, for the first time getting mad. "Lets not say things we'll regret."

"Trust me. I have no intention of regretting any single thing I say whilst in your company. In fact, the only thing that deserves the slightest regret is the fact that I was perfectly civil when you entered my office. I should've known you were as much the same Draco as you always were."

"And what would you rather me be? A saint.a god damned boring saint, just like your perfect Potter?"

Ginny stopped, the mention of her ex-crushes name a point bringing her back to reality, away from the blinding rage that had enabled her to only see red.

"You could never be Harry." She replied softly.

"And thank God for that."

They stared at each other, long and hard. Grey on brown. Neither wanted to back down, break the gaze. Admit defeat. 

Finally Draco tore his eyes away, but Ginny continued to stare.

"Anyway." He said, avoiding her steely gaze. "I just came to say that I think we should at least attempt to get on professionally."

"That's no problem." Ginny answered neutrally, shuffling the paper on her desk. Now the conversation had switched to business, her anger had stopped, leaving behind an empty shell, ready for anything. "When it's to do with business, I have no issues."

"As I noticed, "Draco responded wryly. Before standing up slowly. "I guess I can trust you to keep a respectable face to me, disregarding our rocky past."

"You can't trust me to do anything Draco." She replied looking at the hand he extended for her to shake, with emotionless eyes. "All I ask is that you leave me to do my job. All _I _want is to be normal."

Draco snatched his hand back in disgust. Obviously her refusal to shake his hand had rattled him.

"That was the only time I will ever offer my hand to you. You are filth in my eyes.and Weasley; don't expect to tell Franklin your all so valuable opinions of me. I am his only option. Lose me, and sweetie, you've just lost your job."

The hate that had slumbered momentarily in Ginny was back with a blinding flash, ignited by Draco as he stalked to the door, and threw it open and stormed out.

Later Ginny ran into him having coffee with her best friend! Linda looked perfectly cozy as he leaned over her to reach the sugar.

How Ginny hated him.

* * * *

As much as he was hesitant to admit it, Draco's little 'interview' with Ginny, had seriously unruffled him.

Sure, it had all been fun and games- until someone made it personal. 

Draco had made it a personal point never to forgive someone who refused his hand in anything- especially if it was hard for him to offer it in the first place. The comment Ginny had all so, casually let fly about his heart had cut him emotionally as well. Not that he couldn't take girls yelling at him.No; Draco got that all the time. But the words she had used.an exact replica of someone very similar in fiery nature.

But Draco wouldn't think of her.

Much easier to focus on the smiling young girl who was at the moment pouring him more coffee. Especially because she was so pretty...._ahem_, well to be more company correct, Draco really thought he would have to revert back to the title of 'nice'.

And that's what Linda appeared to be. Nice.sensitive and exactly the sort of girl that managed to completely escape Draco's attention. Especially after that scorching hot interview session that he was still reeling from.

Nothing turned Draco on more than a fiery redhead.

Said redhead was at this moment standing in the doorway glaring ferociously at him. Draco mused on how this managed to get him so worked 'up'. Deciding to play it smooth, he reached over Linda whispering about how the temperature seemed to have risen dramatically.

_Well- it's not really a lie_. Draco smirked as he watched Ginny spin around and leave the room in a huff._ Good thing my little Weasel still gets as worked up by me as she used to._

He then proceded to indulge in a little fantasy of Ginny....a very mad Ginny, and had to make a dash to the bathroom, before anyone else could notice his sudden, uh, change in appearance.

---15 minutes later.---

After his momentary pit stop to the bathroom, Draco headed north to his makeshift office.

Franklin had sure pulled out the stops for something so temporary. The office was everything Draco desired. Rich immaculately furnished and filled with the luxurious scent of Lavenders. There was a massive polished wood desk, smack bang in the middle of the room, covered with all sorts of office goodies. Draco even detected a sheet of parchment with every single popular office spell scrawled down on it.with an in-depth instruction manual to each difficult charm.

Yes, this was exactly the sort of company appreciation that Draco adored to receive.

He was just settling back to listen to some classic Weird Sisters music, and eat a caldron cake, when a sharp knock sounded, drawing his immediate attention.

"Come in." He called out, and then repeated louder when nobody took the initiative to enter.

Scowling after he still received no response, Draco heaved himself out of his chair and made his way grumpily to the door (muttering random curses under his breath as he glanced longingly at the cake situated temptingly on the edge of his desk.)

When he saw who was standing in his doorway, smirking cheekily at him, he was mixed was a sudden bout of fury, mingled with a strange sort of lust.

"Why the hell didn't you come in!" he exploded, eyes narrowed dangerously at Ginny.

"Because I wanted to make you get up." She answered shortly. "Franklin wants you to come to his office now. I'm your P.A so guess who got the lovely pleasure of fetching you?"

"No idea." Draco growled sarcastically, shoving past her into the open hall. "Gonna stand there all day?"

He then began to walk quickly down the corridor. Ginny trotted out after him, half jogging to keep up.

"What's the rush, rich boy" she commented, anger sparking the rebellious side of her as she struggled to keep up.

"Just trying to avoid you." He answered grumpily, coming to a dead stop in front of Franklin's office. He would deal with the rich boy comment later. It was time to make a good impression.

Stepping into the office, he ignored Ginny who scampered in after him.

"Good afternoon." Came Franklins voice, from the desk. "Nice to see you Draco.and you too Ginny."

If Draco didn't know better, he may he assumed that Franklin was getting a kick out of the obvious tension in the room.

"Afternoon Franklin." Draco and Ginny chorused in much the same way as children at primary school assemblies yell "Good afternoon Miss Miles.ect.ect.)

"As you both know, I am excepting Draco as new owner and boss of this company. Draco, I believe we have already been through the terms of firing staff?"

Ginny looked up interested. Maybe Franklin was more business cluey than she gave him credit for.

"What exactly are the terms Franklin?" she requested, glancing at Draco from the corner of her eye. He seemed for some off reason to be fidgeting....

8

8

8

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Kind of a Cliffie!

But this is only part one of chapter 4...the other part is still in the pipeline, but should be ready and raring soon

Just wanted to say thanks to all my gorgeous reviewers...

-One of Grace, thanks for the second nice review! Im trying with my characters, but Im not to sure how its going

-Riddle Star...aww thanks

-GinnyGINvampire00 aka Evon - thanks for the 2 reviews! lol...I love 2 time reviewers

Fluffy-teddy bear dude (sorry but it's such a journey to type your name) thanks! I never did think that anyone could make it through what Ginny did with out getting a little emotionally marked...The plot is thickening, hopefully in a nice gravy sort of way (wtf?I don't even make sense to myself)

bluestarfish - was: starlight - Thanks....they have a little history, but Draco is really stressing about anohter certain someone...who shall for the moment remain unnamed

Evil Slythrin child- Lol! I know...hmmm I wouldn't mind that job....

Margarita- Thanks so much!

Voldemorts-illegitimate-child- glad you enjoyed it...Rodger is so very posh...Oh, and don't worry about being random, we all LIVE for randomness

Thanks everyone else, you guys absouloutly rock!

***Next chapter-**

What are the terms Draco is so nervous about?

Ginny's birthday (and party) - which means *gasp* the DREAM TEAM

Also more on Draco's shady past...who is haunting his life?

Happy Reviewing!


	5. Of nahnah's, thoughtfullness and SURPRIS...

**Chapter 4 (part 2)**

**Fic Name: Normality**

**Rated: R**

**Disclaimer: Pretty much everything belongs to JKR, excluding the plot and a few OC's. Thanks to cheap romance novels for help in getting a plot! lol.**

**Thanks to Adam Johnson for his help, as well as Desiree.**

**Recap!**

_"As you both know, I am excepting Draco as new owner and boss of this company. Draco, I believe we have already been through the terms of firing staff?"_

_Ginny looked up interested. Maybe Franklin was more business clue than she gave him credit for._

_"What exactly are the terms Franklin?" she requested, glancing at Draco from the corner of her eye. He seemed for some off reason to be fidgeting...._

***()_+*#!&^(&*%_++)#*&**

"Isn't it sort of, well, confidential?" Draco tried, looking at Franklin with pleading eyes.

Franklin looked extremely amused, and flashed a large smile before answering airily, "Oh, I don't think so Draco. Ginny knows pretty much everything that goes on around here."

Draco was trapped...he knew it too. Glancing around the office he took in the scene, a hateful sneer positively itching to spread it's way along his face. Franklin was sitting at his desk, a gleam in his eye leaning forward over a bit of parchment with the words _Contract _scrawled over it. Ginny was standing half behind Draco, leaning around trying to read the unidentifiable letters adorning the rest of it. Slowly Franklin began to draw it out from under he elbows. Ginny stopped leaning, and began to stand up straighter.

"You can tell me." she coxed, sending Draco a triumphant smile. She knew she had won. He was all but hopeless as he watched Franklin lift the parchment carefully, as if it was a baby. He handed it to Ginny smiling.

"Read it out loud Ginny..."

Ginny took it, held it up in front of her eyes and began to read...

" Contract of Turnover in Staff. I Draco Malfoy, by signing this form agree that I shall not fire or suspend any staff of this company, Spellbound, without a professional or fair reason. If this rule is not abided by, I agree that the employee may take me to court." 

Ginny stopped reading and looked up at Franklin with new respect burning in her eyes. He had done it! He had ensured the future of every employee working under the new conditions. Her gaze shifted to Draco. Her was no longer standing up tall, but slouching as if disappointed with himself for signing such a thing. Every fiber in her being held her self back from pole-vaulting on top the table, and singing _"Nah, nah, nah, nah...naaaaaaaah."_

She had won. __

_But..._said a niggling voice at the back of her head. _You do realize Draco has been your new boss ever since he signed the contract._

All her happiness came crashing down, her happy smile taking a nosedive into a grimace. She could barely concentrate on anything. A wave of dizziness swept over her as she tried to come to grips with the terrible truth. This outweighed her other senses as they blocked out Draco and Franklin, who were signing more and more contracts.

She was brought back to earth with a jolt, as Franklin called out her name in a clipped, loud voice. Once again she was standing in the aqua office, staring at the framed pamphlet for the jazz club in Athens. Franklin called her name again, and she swung widely around to face them. 

Franklin was standing in front of Draco now, and as he moved closer to ask if she was alright, Ginny could make out Draco mouthing the words of '_Mental'_ in her direction. Glaring at him, she straightened up, and mimicked in the same tone as Franklins clipped voice, "I'm fine, thanks."

"Are you sure?" Franklin replied glancing nervously at her. "You looked like you were at a different planet for a moment there."

"I'm perfectly fine."

"Then won't you please sign the witness statement?" asked Draco maliciously. "I need to signature to show that, yes, I do own this company now. But you know all this don't you? You were just standing here when we were discussing it. Seriously, Ginny, _dear_...Maybe you should go home and let the more, uh, senior personae of the company handle this."

"I told you." Ginny practically spat, hands curled tight at her side. "I'm fine for Gods sake. Just let me sign the bloody parchment already."

Franklin's head snapped up in shock. Why was Ginny reacting so badly? The last time he had seen her this disorientated and unlike herself was back when the company had first come into strife. Ginny herself was alarmed by her actions. Draco was a problem...not only was he ruining her life, but he was also making her lose her calm temperament. A month ago if anyone had told her she was going to be bursting into little tantrums left right and center, she would have happily shipped them off to Saint Mungos- on a one-way trip. But now! It was like someone completely different was inside of her...

And Ginny didn't like the feeling.

Snatching the parchment, she scrawled her signature on the line stating 'witness' and stood upright, waiting.

She didn't have to wait long.

Franklin stood up and heartily thumped Draco on the shoulder. "Welcome to the company Son. Treat it well."

"Thanks Franklin. I intend to."

"Well I'll be leaving in a week, after I've shown you the ropes..."

"What!" Ginny cut in, shouting, "You're leaving so soon!"

Franklin chuckled, almost patronizingly. "Now, now Ginny...The company belongs to Draco now."

"Yes..."she said quietly." It does. Excuse me please."

Ginny strode over to the door, and let herself quietly out.

* * * * *

Clarissa offered Ginny more cake, frowning sympathetically. What Ginny had just told her seemed wrong somehow.

"And this Malfoy character signed it? Just like that?"

Ginny looked up from miserably eating her cake at Clarissa's question. 

"Yep...just like that."

Clarissa scratched her head in wonder...the pieces still weren't clicking. She decided to try her luck on questioning Ginny further. "You mean to say that he let Franklin pull all the ropes...all the rank?"

"Yes, but what is this all about Clarissa? Why the sudden big interest in Malfoy signing the contract?"

"It just doesn't seem right," responded Clarissa, carefully pouring more tea.

They had been huddled up in the window seat of their apartment, watching people walk by and discussing Ginny's job. Ginny had recovered enough to come out of bed and was now relating the events of her day to a concerned Clarissa. They had gotten as far as Draco signing the contract (with frequent tea, biscuit and cake breaks) before Clarissa had started to question the story telling. Now things seemed to be getting interesting...

"Why isn't it right?"

"Isn't Malfoy, Franklins _last hope?_ Why would Franklin be calling the shots? He is supposed to be forever in Draco debt...not pushing him around into signing contracts."

Ginny considered this carefully, thinking back over the events that had transpired that day.

"That's true. Draco even told me as much this afternoon."

_-"Lose me and sweetie, you've just lost your job."_

"The only explanation that I can see is that Malfoy needs this job as much as Franklin needs to sell it."

"How can that be?" Ginny asked intrigued. "He's a millionaire...not just somebody in desperate need of money."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Positive! His father does business at the ministry- Dad told me he's always flashing his money about."

"But is that just his father? Or him as well..."

"At school he always...Oh!" 

The truth seemed to dawn on Ginny as she turned to Clarissa excitedly. "He always flashed his money around at school...but Ron said after graduation he worked in a watch company, then vanished for years! He must not have been living off his father anymore!"

"Exactly! So you think he needs this job? Maybe..." at this she turned to Ginny with shining eyes," Maybe he's even in _debt!"_

Ginny shrieked in glee, and grabbed Clarissa up to dance around the room. 

If Malfoy was so in debt, then it might be easy to get rid of him after all, not to mention that he could no longer present her with empty threats and meaningless quips...no, Malfoy was very much in her power.

Besides, tomorrow was her day off and she was visiting the Burrow...Not to mention her Birthday, was the day after on Saturday.

_Yes...Malfoy, I think our relationship is going to improve a great deal...NOT!_

*****

Harry Potter stretched his arms out tiredly, said good-bye to his teammates and struggled over to the red sports car parked next to the empty quidditch stands. As he approached the car it became apparent that it was slightly rocking...

"Ron? Hermione?" he called out, tapping sharply on the glass windows. He was sure getting tired of returning from practice, only to find his two 'responsible' spectators getting busy in the back of his new car...

Said spectators were now rising sheepishly up from the floor of the car, fake guilty expressions plastered over wide grins.

"Sorry, Harry," muttered Ron smirking. "Got a little carried away."

Hermione whacked his arm and asked Harry in a slightly high-pitched voice, "Uh, how was practice, Harry?"

"It was fine thanks...though I expect you two were having slightly more fun."

He swung open the drivers side door, started the ignition, and then swung around in his seat. 

"You guys have got your presents for Ginny haven't you?"

"Yep." said Ron distractedly, as he tried to kiss Hermione again. She gently pried him off her and asked Harry what he had gotten Ginny.

"I wasn't sure what to get her. I was hoping you would come with me now and show me what sort of girly thing she would appreciate."

"Sure Harry."

Harry turned his attention to his driving, a newly acquired skill that Hermione had decided all three of them needed. One training course and learners test later; Harry was the proud owner of a brand new sports car. He longed to drive by his Uncles house with it.

Instead he headed towards the local muggle mall. He had heard from Hermione that Ginny usually wore muggle clothes, and this shopping center had the best selection around. To get there he only had to go alone the highway for about 10 minutes as the mall was situated right beside it. It almost looked as if a random space craft had decided to park next to the freeway...such was the isolation and strange positioning of it.

Harry hoped he didn't miss his exit. Training had really worn him out. When Oliver Wood had approached Harry a year or so after leaving school, interested in whether he would consider playing seeker for Puddlemere united, Harry had never in his life considered the strenuous training required, or the magnificent benefits of playing for such a prestigious team. All he really knew was how much fun he had playing quidditch. Especially after the Great War which had been fought throughout his final years at Hogwarts.

 Playing Quidditch professionally truly was his greeted dream- and he had been following it ever since.

Shooting an amused look over his shoulder at Ron and Hermione (who seemed almost attached presently to one another) he grinned when he saw the sign for the exit come into sight. Indicating he turned off onto the small road that twisted and tuned until he reached the main car park.

The Mall was big, estimated to be one of the largest shopping centers in Britain, and thankfully both he and Hermione had vast experience in dealing with muggle shopping. Ron however, was new to this whole experience, and broke himself apart from Hermione long enough to exclaim in a loud voice.

"Bloody Hell...look at the size of the thing!"

Harry and Hermione laughed cheerfully and pulled Ron out of the car, making him promise not to exclaim _too _loudly over the different stores and arrangements.

This was easier said than done, however, which they soon found out after Ron discovered Escalators ("Lazy sorts, aren't they?") Coffee machines ("Got to buy Mum one of those Coffee-bingo's") and Elevators ("Like I said before...just plain lazy")

They did eventually manage to drag him to a nice looking store named "Next" which Hermione assured them had exactly the sort of clothes that Ginny was after. 

After patrolling around the white painted room and looking over endless racks of clothes, Hermione finally held up a goldfish, cashmere sweater, which she guaranteed would look perfect on Ginny. There was another brief struggle in the crowds of holiday shoppers to get to the cash register, and Ron almost gave the game away again, by laughing outright at muggle money, but they did manage to struggle through and make it to a nearby= cafe for lunch.

"Do you think Ginny's happy at her work?" asked Harry as he handed his menu back to the waitress. Hermione followed check, and then grabbed her coffee that had just arrived.

"She seems to be...but I met her for lunch the other day and she seemed agitated for some reason."

"That's true," added in Ron, nodding. "She came to the burrow for one of those family dinner things yesterday evening. Refused to answer any questions about her job, or her life for that matter. I'm seriously getting worried about her. I mean, she's always been shut off, especially since that whole diary affair but she's gotten worse lately. You don't think threes something she's not telling us?"

"Maybe." Said Hermione uneasily. "But it won't do to go prying round into her affairs. Remember when she started going out with Roger and we made inquires? She wouldn't speak to me for a full month after that."

Ron grabbed a forkful of cake and slung an arm casually around Hermione's shoulder. "I remember that. She was fair pissed-off."

"Ron!" gasped Hermione scandalized. "Don't use such filthy language!"

Harry tried to stifle a laugh as his friends got into a full debate over filthy language, whilst eating strawberry cheesecake and drinking cappuccinos.

"Common guys." He said, standing up slowly and signaling the waitress for the bill. "I've got to go into the Q.U office (**A/N Quidditch united**) and register again. Do you guys want me to drop you off at the Floo station on the way?"

"That would be great," Hermione said with a grin. "So you're definitely coming to Ginny's surprise party this afternoon?"

"Yeah, Harry. Don't let little 'ole Ginny down. She might have a inferior complex and start to have a mad crush on you again."

Hermione smacked him on the arm, and together they strolled towards the car.

* * * * *

Ginny strode towards the burrow. 

Her day off had been quite enjoyable, consisting of her sitting around in her pajamas watching her enchanted ceiling and occasionally staying over to the T.V to watch some daytime soaps (a habit she would never inform Clarissa of). She had even managed to cook herself pancakes...a rare occasion indeed.

Now as she wandered up the pathway leading to the rickety house that had always been home, she mused over how her spirits could have been so uplifted in just one day. Clarissa's pep talk had helped, as well as the promise of presents the next day...yes, Ginny was feeling as happy as Larry. 

On approaching the house, she wondered why it seemed so quiet...usually their was noise floating out in all directions, fuddling her senses. But today there was nothing...she couldn't even smell baking. Worried, Ginny hurried up, and practically jogged to the front door. Pushing it open, she glanced around the hallway.

Instead of being cheery and light as it usually was, it seemed dark and musky, with all the curtains closed and the doors shut. Puzzled, Ginny ventured further into the house, until all of a sudden she heard a loud thump coming from the living room.

Ginny was now quite scared. People didn't just 'thump' in her house. They yelled and thumped.... they blew up things and thumped...not just, well, thumped.

Edging carefully towards the room, she took a hesitant step inside...and got the fright of her life.

A voice yelled, "Flamioworkitis" and lights, and fireworks spilled into the room.

Faces were illuminated left, right and center, and a chorus of loud voices yelled;

"_SURPRISE!!!!"_

**_A/N_**__

_***Just leaving a note to say, thanks to all my wonderful reviewers...We've reached the halfway mark guys! 51 reviews! See, I'm aiming for 100, and you guys are being great helping me reach that!**_

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**_Just a few notes..._**

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**_Next chapter: _**

**_-Ginny and Draco-big fight...blackmail plot coming to light_**

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**_-Ginny's party! and more dream team!_**

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**_-Clarissa! Coffee!_**

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**_-Ron/Hermione! Goo!_**

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**_Wow! last chapter got the most reviews, which really made my day, can't tell you how much that little click in the left hand bottem corner makes me smile!_**

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**Auburgine: Im actually not sure. Oceans 11 is one of my favourite movies, so I may have accidently quoted it...Thanks for the review!**

**Fluffy The Teddy Bear Slayer : .**

**Phoenix-De-Rol: Yes, Draco's wife is a bit of a friendly lady (cough*prostitute*cough) Heheheh, don't we all love Draco *sigh***

**Anyanka: thanks for the lovely review!**

**RiddleStar : Lol, imagine Hermione being a prostitute-dosent seem to work, lol, Wish I was in Ginnys shoes! I'll try and update faster...**

**Evil Slytherin Child : Join the club! I read stories, and I know the author is trying to make us hate Draco, but I'm like..."Can't do it...must love Draco.."**

**xangecrisisx: lol! they are rather disfunctional, arn't they?**

**Lirael : But Cliffies are so much fun!**

**goodgirlsbadboys : nah, just logical- besides, boring people often turn out to be millionaires ;)**

**MelissaAdams : she is getting a bit of a backbone now, aye!**

**SolitaryStar : Thanks! Poor Ginny-such a klutz!**

**Neca : Lol, your drill sergent's review got me typing!**

**Thanks again guys!**


	6. Of Punch, lingerie and cigarsaftersex

Fic name: Normality  
Rating: R  
Disclaimer: Anything Harry Potter related belongs to J.K Rowling or W.B...All O/C's and the plot belong to me. Suing would be pointless as I have roughly 2.4736 in the bank.  
Thanks to Kenji, Desiree and all my amazing, nice spectacular reviewers (suck up much.)  
!@#$%^&*()_+_)(*&^%%$##%@@^*@^@*)((%^^@!@$%^**(%%!!!$@%^&%#%%@###########@%@%$@&*^**^%%#%$&^*#%^**#  
  
"SURPRISE!"  
  
Ginny stared, gob smacked at the illuminated faces, before the lights switched on and the room was bathed in light. Streamers hung from almost every available space, as well as moving banners with magically drawn pictures of Ginny, and the words, 'happy birthday.'   
  
People were spilling from every available corner, and more guests were now coming through the fireplace and into the already crowded room.   
  
By the fireplace was a gigantic pile of presents, ranging from a miniscule box wrapped in changing colour paper, to a massive package that Ginny assumed must be almost as tall as she was. On the opposite side of the room was a long table filled with all sorts of party foods, including pumpkin pasties, chocolate frogs, cake, fairy bread (made with real fairy dust, donated from the friendly fairies living in the yard) and other fattening things.  
  
The furniture had been moved from the room, creating the illusion that the room had somehow magically grown (Ginny suspected it just might have actually been magnified larger). The people crowding in it dwarfed it again though...there must have been at least 100 people just in that room already.  
  
People started rushing up to Ginny, kissing the still bewildered girl on her cheek before moving off into different rooms of the house.  
  
"Happy Birthday, dear." cried Mrs. Weasley battling her way through the crowd. "You always said when you were younger, that you longed for a surprise birthday party...and only this year I realized we've never given you one! Besides, you've been so busy with your job lately. I wanted to give you some fun!"  
  
"Too right!" Said George, slinging an arm around Ginny's shoulder. "Me and Fred have barely seen you this year! You haven't even come in Weasleys Wizard Wheezes to help us test out some new products."  
  
"Very irresponsible of her, don't you agree, George?" said Fred seriously.  
  
"Indeed, indeed," George agreed in a posh voice, before giving Ginny another kiss on the cheek and returning to his wife Wendy and small daughter Peg.   
  
Ginny smiled after him and turned her attention to Fred.  
  
"How is the business going? I spoke to Katie the other day when I ran into her at the apothacary. She said that you've made up a new product?"  
  
Fred smiled at the mention of his long time girlfriend. Although he had dated Angelina Johnson for years, including their seventh year at Hogwarts, they had had a rather rocky relationship. Finally, neither could take it anymore, and ignoring the implications of marriage they painfully broke up. Fred had sunk into a sort of depression that Ginny didn't know all the details about. All she was really sure of was that he had run into Katie Bell, one of their old Hogwarts friends, at on of Harry's quidditch games. To cut a long story short, they were still together  
Ginny chatted to Fred for a while longer, before he excused himself to fetch more punch.  
  
"Ginny!"   
  
Ginny spun around and grinned as she saw Hermione and Ron, holding hands as they walked over. Harry tagged along behind, shooting Ginny an amused look at the pair, which she returned.  
  
"How are you...is your job going ok? Clarissa? Is she still a barrister? We have to catch up...it feels like an age since I last spoke to you!" Hermione Babbled away happily, until Ron clapped a hand over her mouth impatiently.  
  
"Shut up, Herm. So, Ginny! Twenty-six at last, hey? Seems like our little girl is growing up so fast- OUCH!" Hermione, sick of struggling behind his hand had given up and bitten him.  
  
Ginny sniggered behind her hand, while Hermione and Ron started to bicker again, before finally turning sharply and walking outside. Ginny wasn't too sure, but she thought she saw them start to snog furiously before they had quite made it. Turning to Harry she smiled warmly and inquired after his Quidditch profession.  
  
"Well it's getting very hectic, what with the finals coming up and all. Its amusing watching Oliver really. You can tell he's desperate to start ordering us all around, but as he's not the coach, there's nothing he can really do about it." Harry paused for a moment, an amused look in his eye. "So enough about me. How are you? How was that party thing at Rogers...he invited me to go, but I found I had some last minute training. Was it fun?"  
  
Ginny rolled her eyes and commented wryly, "If you like that sort of thing, truthfully I was bored sick."  
  
"Really?" asked Harry sympathetically.  
  
"Yeah...Oh well, I guess that's the downside of associating with the more refined personable of our society."  
  
"True, true. So how's work?"  
  
Ginny fidgeted for a second, then decided the be honest. "Not that great actually."  
  
"Serious? What's been going on?"  
  
"Franklins finally sold the company, its just I have issues with my new Boss." Ginny broke off, hoping that Harry would not ask her to specify. Unfortunately he did.  
  
"Anyone I know?"  
  
Ginny looked around hoping to avoid the question. Harry gently took her shoulder and raised an eyebrow. "Who is it Ginny?"  
  
Knowing she was beaten Ginny said very quietly, "Draco Malfoy."  
  
Harry started to laugh, Ginny looked up surprised, wondering what was so funny.   
  
"So-orry..." gasped Harry, still laughing. "For a second there I actually thought you said Draco Malfoy. How crazy is that?"  
  
"I did say that. Malfoy is my new boss."  
  
Harry sobered up immediately...  
  
"WHAT!"  
  
His yell attracted attention for the gathering guests, and Bill started to walk over. Harry regained his composure and whispered to Ginny furiously, "You mean that bigoted, asshole, and coward of a man is to be ordering you around from now on?"  
  
Ginny nodded her head miserably, and Harry looked outraged. "I can't believe it. Why didn't you tell us before?"  
  
"I-I guess I didn't want to believe it myself."  
  
"Has he changed since Hogwarts? Is he still a dickhead?"  
  
"No" said Ginny quietly.  
  
"What?"  
  
"He's more than a dickhead now...he's King Dickhead."  
  
A loud voice could suddenly be heard above the chatter. Bill was mounting a large, stable coffee table that seemed to have become like an impromptu stage. Ginny grabbed Harry's arms and nodded in the direction of Bill. Harry broke of from the rant he was about to embark on, and waited impatiently to hear what Bill had to say.  
  
"Ladies and Gentlemen," began Bill, "We are gathered here today to celebrate the twenty-sixth birthday of my littlest sibling, Ginny." Applause broke out and Bill waited patiently for it to die down. "Now, I know that some of you are dieing to edge your way over to the snack table (laughter) so I'll make this quick. There's going to be some dancing outside in about 5 minutes, the band is setting up now, and I hope nobody will blame me when I ask my sister Ginny, to dance the first few dances. Have a great time everyone."  
He hopped down from the coffee table to loud applause and headed towards Ginny and Harry.  
  
"Gins!" he exclaimed throwing his arms around her. Being her oldest brother, he had always felt the occasion to be extra protective. "Having a good time?"  
  
"Great thanks," answered Ginny politely, sending Harry a drastic look that clearly said; don't tell anyone.  
  
"That's nice. Now, Harry, you can't hog Ginny all evening- I'm going to be the dreaded big brother now and insist she comes and meets her guests!"  
  
"Bye, Harry." said Ginny miserably as Bill dragged her off into the crowds.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Clarissa stumbled through the Weasley fireplace and was delighted to see that the party was in full swing. After seeing Ginny moping around for days on end about Draco and another birthday (this was only added on when Ginny returned from Roger's party certain she looked thirty) Clarissa had decided enough was enough.  
  
She had gotten in touch with Mrs. Weasley, whom she had met at several barbeques, christenings, you know, the works, and suggested a party might help Ginny get over some stuff. Molly (as she had instructed Clarissa to call her) had immediately decided on a surprise party and the preparations had gone under way at once.  
  
Clarissa was fairly sure Ginny had no idea whatsoever about the party and wished she could have been there to see Ginny's face when the crowd yelled surprise. Instead however, she was stuck in a boring, executives meeting which she had only just managed to get out early.  
  
She started to move through the crowded room, only stopping to grab some champagne and chat up a rich-looking, wizard hottie. After deciding he wasn't her type, she continued her search for Ginny, which was becoming near impossible, as the crowd seemed to swell.  
  
-Well Molly sure went overboard with the guest list- Clarissa though grumpily/happily as yet another person pushed past almost causing her to drop her drink - Where does this remind me of...oh! Yeah! The Weird Sisters concert, when I was in the mosh-pit!-  
Suddenly a flash of red wearing Ginny's blue dress, caught Clarissa's attention,   
  
"Ginny!" she called loudly, and smiled at her friend as she turned sharply around. It seemed that Bill (who Clarissa had always found most attractive) was making Ginny do the rounds of greeting.  
  
Ginny broke free from Bills grasp and practically skipped over to Clarissa.  
  
"Riss! Glad you could come! How come you're so late?"  
  
"Meeting," said Clarissa wryly, making a face. "Got any good presents?"  
  
"Haven't opened them yet! But look how many of them there are!" said Ginny wide-eyed. She never worried about petty politeness with Clarissa. When they talked they were plain and blunt.  
  
"Doesn't Bill look good!" whispered Clarissa as he went to get them some punch.  
  
"Clarissa!" exclaimed Ginny, punching her lightly on the arm. "You're going to make me sick."  
  
"Sorry- but I speak as I see, and what I see is one fine piece or m- Bill! Back so soon?"   
  
Bill laughed and handed her a drink.   
  
"You know me, I live to serve. Gin's, the dancing is starting! Remember your promise?"  
  
"Right, right..."Laughing she turned to Clarissa, "I promised Bill I'd dance the first few dances with him," She turned back to Bill and uttered in a mean voice, "Slave driver."  
  
"I come with you," offered Clarissa. "You never know...some hot Weasley 'fella might ask me to dance."  
  
"Who? Charlie?" Bill joked.   
  
Laughing all three of them headed outside.  
  
As they walked out into the bright sunlight, Clarissa gasped. The garden looked absolutely amazing.  
  
The lawn had candles, enchanted to last for as long as required, and charmed to not blow out, scattered around in every direction. Lanterns were also lit in preparation for the celebration that was expected to go through the afternoon and into the night. Burbles Helium balloons were tied to every single surface available and food tables seemed to be resting under every single tree in the garden.   
On the large grassy bank beside the river, where the boys had been known many a time to play Quidditch, was a large Marquee tent. Clarissa pushed back on of the white flaps and strolled inside, Ginny and Bill following.   
  
The inside was just as amazing as the garden, if not more so from the air of sophistication that surrounded it. Tables where set out in small clusters in a semi circle that stayed close to the walls of the tent. They were lavishly decorated with roses, gerberas and several other bright coloured flowers. Trellises hung magically from the walls and ceilings, with rose coloured flowed that Clarissa didn't recognize adorning ever-possible surface.  
  
In the front centre of the room was a makeshift stage and a band filled with brass, woodwind, string and percussion instruments had just started to play an up beat song. Their music was nothing like Clarissa had ever experienced. Although they seemed to be an old fashioned band, amazing new music with a twist was blasting out.  
  
Couples started heading towards the dance floor, and although Ginny had already been promised to Bill, Neville, an old friend from Hogwarts came and asked her if she would like to dance. Carefully trying to be the responsible hostess, but also scared of crushing his hopes, Ginny left smiling apologetically over her shoulder.  
  
"Well I guess I've been jilted." Bill joked, pretending to look downcast.  
  
"Bill, Bill, Bill," chided Clarissa. "Seems you're set to be a Miss Havisham wanna-be forever."  
  
"A who?" asked Bill curiously.  
  
"Never mind." sighed Clarissa, shaking her head at the general illiteracy of most wizards.  
  
"Say!" Bill suddenly exclaimed. "Wanna dance?  
  
"Thought you'd never ask."  
  
He took her hand, and smiling broadly they set off in a mad tango through the crowds of dancers.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Ginny found herself being swept from partner to partner, everyone seemed to have their hearts set on dancing with the birthday girl. In could have also been the fact that she looked absolutely gorgeous.  
  
Thinking that it was to be a big family dinner, she'd chosen her outfit carefully. She was dressed in a midnight blue dress that seemed almost to shimmer in the candlelit atmosphere. It had a moderately low neckline - i.e. not so low so it was slutty, but low enough to display her sloping collarbones and a slight swell of creamy cleavage, and a swirling skirt that came to mid-calf. Clarissa had presented her with a pair of shoes yesterday as "an early birthday surprise" and Ginny had been amazed at how different, yet how pretty they were. They were strappy and had long leather laces that twisted up her legs as a pair of ballet shoes might.  
  
Her hair she believed wasn't working well that night. However to everyone else's eyes it looked ravishing, forming slightly wild, ginger curls that twisted and writhed all the way down her back.  
  
Yes, Ginny looked stunning.  
  
It was a pity really that Roger was not there to enjoy it, but as he hadn't turned up yet, and her Mother had given her no indication that he had answered her invitation, Ginny felt his absence was really quite bearable.  
  
Her partner of the moment, twisted her into a spin and as she turned she felt herself be snatched from his grasp. Turning around to meet her attackers, she was delighted to see Parvati and Lavender.  
  
Although Ginny disliked the sense of adventure and wildness both girls held in high regard, she adored them both dearly. Parvati had been her hairdresser for the past few years, and Lavender had dated Harry once or twice after leaving school. This had put her in close contact with both of the girls and although they often invited her to go out clubbing with them, she had only agreed once...and that night had been a disaster.  
  
"Vati! Lav! How are you both?" She asked kissing both their cheeks.  
  
"Wonderful thanks!" exclaimed Parvati fingering the ends of Ginny's hair. "You really need a trim, Hun's...come down and see me next week, ok?"  
  
"Ginny!" Lavender butted in. "You look amazing...where did you get that dress. Those shoes! So cute."  
  
Ginny laughed softly, and told them about the small designer shop she had come across in a quiet corner of Hogsmeade. They accepted this information, happily scribbling down the address in small pocketbooks.  
  
"Now Ginny, me and Lav got you a present which we decided was best to give to you personally."  
  
"Uh-huh, lets go outside and open it!" added Lavender, grabbing Ginny's hand and pulling her out of the tent. The air crisp now, and the sun had gone down leaving beautiful winter patterns in the clouds. The tent had obviously had a warming charm placed on it, so Ginny quickly cast a similar charm over all three of them.  
  
They went over to one of the fiery lanterns illuminating a pretty stone bench. Sitting Ginny down in the middle, Parvati and Lavender plopped down on either side of her.  
  
"Now..." started Lavender. "We decided that you are just far too innocent, Ginny Weasley!"  
  
"That's for sure!" added Parvati. "I saw you blushing at that hottie who was putting the eye on you!"  
  
"So, we decided to share our more...well, advanced knowledge and...well, open the gift huns!"  
  
Ginny was now looking at the offered parcel with apprehension. So what if she was...well, as they put it innocent. She didn't feel to safe with any of the guys she'd met since leaving Hogwarts. Besides, having 6 older brothers could rather turn a guy off in fear of being pummeled to the ground. Deciding to take her chances, Ginny opened the parcel and held up the gift with a worried look on her face.  
  
They had given her lingerie. Well...not just any underwear, this was serious Honeymoon stuff. It was black, lacy and see through...and what had happened to where the bra cups were meant to go? Nothing was there but black mesh?  
  
"Its uh...nice?" she said unsurely to the girls. "But when and how am I supposed to wear this thing?"  
  
"Ginny! You know how to put it on...don't tell me you've never worn sexy knickers to bed." Parvati was looking into Ginny's eyes as she said this and after a second came into a brief realization. "Oh good lord, she hasn't."  
  
"You are going to need a lot more help than just this present my dear." Lavender said, nodding seriously. "Meet us at Cafe Rossici for lunch tomorrow."  
  
"And we're not taking no for an answer!" said Parvati as she grabbed Lavender and strolled off calling goodbye back over their shoulders.  
  
Ginny at this stage stared at the present in her lap and called weakly after them, "Uh, no...means, uh, no?"  
  
-Oh Brother.-  
  
And with that Ginny's head sunk into her hands.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Harry wandered around the party, enjoying the benefits of free alcohol and nibbles.  
  
He was determined to have fun, but what Ginny had told him earlier was running constantly through his head like a record stuck on a never-ending track;  
  
...."*Malfoy* is my Boss" "My Boss is *Malfoy*" "Is *Malfoy* my Boss"...  
  
He tried rearranging the letters in his head, changing them so they might have suited him better. Every time though the word Malfoy stood boldly out. He was frustrated that he was Ginny's boss...what good would ever come of it? And there seemed to be a lurking feeling there...Almost hidden.  
  
Was it jealousy? Denial?   
  
Harry shook his head and headed towards the large marquee. He pushed open the flap and wandered in. Almost immediately the sounds of music came blasting forwards. It seemed the tent had some sort of silencing charm around it. A slow, simple song was playing and couples were moving steadily to the beat in a way that suggested they only cared for the one person moving in the same way with them. Glancing around the room, Harry's attention was drawn to Ginny, sitting at a table full of friends and laughing out loud, with her head thrown back.  
  
In that very same moment, the charm on a few of the candles failed, sending the room into a state of semi darkness. The candle near Ginny, however, was still blazing, catching the redness of her hair and making her whole body glow.  
  
The candles were quickly restored, but Harry was standing stock-still.  
  
He didn't know what had come over him in that brief second, or fully understand what it had done to his senses, mind or body. All he knew was from that moment on he had one goal.  
  
Ginny Weasley.  
  
He walked quickly over to the table she was sitting at and smiled down at everyone seated there.  
  
"Hello ladies," he said in a hopefully charming voice. "Mind if I sit down?"  
  
"Not at all," a pretty Blonde answered, smiling coyly up at him, "not at all..."  
  
Harry returned her smiled and asked Ginny if she was having a good time.  
  
"Great thanks!" she answered, eyes sparkling, with a wide grin spread across her face.  
  
"Glad to hear it," Harry answered. "Now how about a dance?"  
  
"Certainly."  
  
To Harry's dismay however, after he had taken Ginny's hand and lead her towards the dance floor, a wild song started leaving his thwarted plans of a slow dance in the dust. Ginny, however didn't seem to mind as she danced wildly, a smile ever present.  
  
It seemed they hadn't been dancing for much time at all, when suddenly the music was stopped, corresponding with loud groans of protest. Bill, who seemed to be acting as an unofficial announcer for the evening, ignored such outcry and climbed up onto the stage. Once he had made it up there, he pointed to his throat with his wand and mumbled a charm similar to Ludo Bagman's announcer getup.  
  
"Weasleys, family, friends and people sneaking in for free alcohol," Bill called, sounding eight times louder than usual. "Now, as we all know...well, aside from the before mentioned drunks (at this point people laughed heartily) now that the clock strikes twelve, we can acknowledge, that twenty-six years ago my gorgeous baby sister was born." Bill paused to let some 'awww...' sounds pass around the room, and then jumped back into it.   
  
"I remember the day clearly...November 28th. It was dark and windy...rain had been pummeling us for days. It seemed that even the weather was feeling the impending doom that a little sister could bring. Needless to say, all us boys were pretty damned scared...with a little girl on the scene, our mummy might no longer have time for us!"  
  
"Oi, Bill!" Fred jumped in, shaking his head and laughing. "Its understandable that me, George and Ron may have been slightly scared for loss of 'our mummy' even Percy may have felt it? But weren't you uh...quite a lot older."  
  
"Fred," said Bill shaking his head," Please shut-up...you're ruining the dramatic affect."  
  
"Sorry"  
  
"Quite alright. Anyway, all our fears were building, until Dad came out with the news that Ginny, had been born. From that moment on we knew our lives had changed...for the better. I'm sure every one of us Weasley boys has a recollection of teaching Ginny how to fly, or even in Percy's case, learning to spell. She's been a positive part in every smile we smile and every dream we chase."  
  
"Ginny, for giving us the wonderful gift of a sister, all us boys have banded together to get you something really special. Charlie? Will you do the honors?"  
  
Charlie stepped forward to Ginny with a massive grin stretching across his freckled face. He was holding out a box, flat, white with no unnecessary trimmings or ruffles.  
  
Ginny had good feelings about this already.  
  
Accepting the box with trembling hands, she gently lifted the lid, while the massive crowds of guests leaned in to see what Ginny had received. Upon seeing what it contained, she let out a loud gasp and gently lifted it out of the box.  
  
In it was a beautiful, shimmering, gold ball gown.  
  
Ginny stared at it, enchanted. Never in her life had she witnessed a more beautiful dress. It shined from every angle and felt as soft as a rose petal. It was stunning.  
  
Percy stepped forward and handed her another small package. Feeling as if her heart could burst, Ginny opened it to discover a pearl necklace and matching earrings.  
  
"The lady at the shop said they were antiques," Percy said gruffly. "And the dress is supposed to be made out of silk and woven with the same material they use for invisibility cloaks..."  
  
Ginny rushed at her brothers and tried her best, while feeling as if her heart could burst, to gather them into a many armed, heartfelt, Weasley hug.  
  
She had a feeling she wouldn't forget this night any time soon. (Was going to finish here, but I thought you guys would be very disappointed over not seeing Draco)  
  
* * * * *   
  
Draco took a deep puff of his cigar and stared at the beautiful blonde who was currently snuggled up to him, trying desperately to remember her name. His alcohol-troubled brain could only string together a few twisted letters and to be honest, her current nakedness wasn't at all helping the situation.   
  
"Mmmm..." she mumbled, rising up further out of the covers," wasn't last night, like, so fun."  
  
"I guess," Draco shrugged non-commitedly. All he could really remember about the previous night was going to a hell of a bar and drinking an awful lot of alcohol. Besides, he really didn't care who she was or what she was doing in his bed after she pulled her self up even further, offering Draco a spectacular view.   
  
"Like what you see?" She said coyly, stretching like a cat. Apparently she had noticed his admiration of her more womanly features and was using this weakness to her full advantage.  
  
Draco, never the one to lose the trousers in any relationship (could casual sex be considered a relationship? Draco decided that in his books it most certainly could) simply raised an eyebrow and raked his eyes over her apprehensively. After he had completed his inspection he shrugged and said bored, "I suppose."  
  
The girl crossed her arms in front of her chest and glared at him uncomfortably. This obviously wasn't the reaction she was expecting. Obviously trying a different tact, she leant in closer to her and licked his ear suggestively before whispering softly into his ear, "So what do you suppose Mr. Malfoy...and what are we going to do about it..."  
  
Draco smirked...yes, he was liking the way this conversation was turning out. Who gave a fuck whether he knew the poor girls name. It wasn't like she was complaining.  
  
"I suppose," he said adopting her coy tone, "That you could show me what exactly you liked so much about last night."  
  
"Why, I suppose that I could."  
  
"Yes..." Draco trailed off as she started to show him what exactly he had missed in his drunken state until...  
  
"Shit!"  
  
"What is it hunny?" the blonde wriggled up from beneath the covers.  
  
"I'm late for work."  
  
"You work on a Saturday?"  
  
"Yes, unfortunately," Draco jumped out of bed and smirked as he spied the girl staring appreciatively at he naked form from lowered eyelashes. He was about to pull on a pair of trousers before he realized all of a sudden that he had another old friend to take care of.   
  
"Shit," he said again, running into the bathroom and having a fast cold shower.   
  
It only took him about another 5 minutes to get dressed as quickly as possible and usher the nameless Blonde out of his apartment.   
  
"Will I ever see you again?" She gasped as he locked the door behind them.  
  
"No." He said simply, looking through his pocket from his wand.  
  
"What!" she gasped, baby blue eyes opened wide. "You can't just walk away from me, you...you...Prat! Do you even know who I am?"  
  
Draco found his wand and patted her shoulder with it fake sympathetically. "Well, considering I don't even know your name, I'm guessing not. Oh, and sweetie I don't plan on walking away."  
  
Fury evident on her face, she grabbed her kitten-healed black, high shoes and advanced towards him with it help menacingly in front of her. Waving sarcastically, Draco whipped out his want and apparated, leaving the blonde staring blankly as an empty space.  
  
A few minutes later, he re-emerged in the corridor of spellbound, whistling as he walked towards his office. He was halfway down the hallway when a fireball represented by Ginny screeched to a halt in front of him.  
  
"Malfoy!" she screeched, red faced and flustered, "Do you have any idea what the time is? I've been bloody waiting for you all morning. Franklin had to leave for Hawaii to check out some hotel we're advertising and left me with a whole pile of paper work...that was meant for YOU!"  
  
"Settle petal," grinned Draco. "One may think you're suffering from a cardiac arrest."  
  
"A cardio-what. What the hell are you on about? All I know is we're behind with the budget plans, I have an appointment with a future benefactor in 10 minutes and you just waltz in here looking happy as Larry...And you expect me to settle!"  
  
"Why, yes, that was the original plan. And I am as happy as Larry, thank you very much."  
  
"Why?" said Ginny glancing at him suspiciously.  
  
"Well, lets just say I got laid by a gorgeous blonde...not that I can expected you to understand my elation. As far as looks go you've probably never even scored a kiss from Longbottom."  
  
For the 2875th time that week, Draco wondered if Ginny had taken up a class on the way to send people the most evil glares she could muster.   
  
"Why...why, I aught a-" Cutting herself short, Ginny kicked him. Hard. Right on the shin.  
  
"You little..." Grabbing her roughly, Draco shoved her in a near by storage cupboard, and shook her roughly. Once he had secured the door, he turned to face her, taking satisfaction in the scared look obvious in the semi-darkness.  
  
"Listen here you little minx. As much as I want to grad that sweet little neck of yours...what? Don't look at me like that. I know if you had half a chance you would be coming at me will a well-placed crucio. But listen here, Virginia, I don't like you as much as you don't like me."  
  
"But-" Ginny tried to cut in and Malfoy glared at her viciously.  
  
"But we're stuck in this together. I need this job and I bloody well know that you need it just as much."  
  
"How do you know that?" Ginny demanded.  
  
"Lets just say the company leaves some important files just sitting around. So as I said before we. Are. Stuck. So shut that pretty little mouth if you know what's good for you."  
  
Ginny stared at him, obviously mortified, then turned back to him and said in a trembling voice, "You are the most evil...vile, disgusting little maggot that I have ever had the disgust of working with. You can't tell me when to keep my mouth shut or when to...to..." she broke off faltering, eyes blazing.  
  
Draco gave her a strained smile and answered, "But I can...I am your boss, and don't you forget it."  
  
Ginny's brown eyes opened wide as she opened her mouth, gasping for air. Draco found himself leaning closer to her, that same repressed feeling threatening to break its way through him and do something that he would regret. He wasn't exactly sure where this mysterious urge was coming from, but he wanted to kiss her, more than anything else in the world...he wanted that.   
  
Pulling himself away, he stared at the green bucket on the floor for several minutes before turning back to her and saying in a raw, charged voice, "Don't you forget it."  
  
Draco didn't know how he made it to his office. His eyes were ringing, and he was hot...so very hot.   
  
Slamming the door behind himself, he sat down heavily into his chair. She had done it again. Infected his thoughts and infuriated his mind. She had to go.  
  
But how? That ridiculous contract bound him from doing anything rash and the worst of it was that she knew that as well as he did. Franklin's words chased themselves around in his head, over and over...  
  
--*That I shall not fire or suspend any staff of this company, Spellbound, without a professional or fair reason...professional or fair...fair reason...reason...*--  
  
"That's it!" Draco shouted triumphantly..."Without a professional or fair reason..."  
  
Wheels started turning in his head, as pieces of the puzzle slowly came together. He would have to create a professional or fair reason...and he knew just the way to do it.  
  
A crazy daydream worked its way into his head, of Ginny sitting at a restaurant while he took down her order.  
  
"Yes ma'am" He versioned himself saying. "One order of Blackmail coming right up."  
  
The word blackmail seemed so harsh so demanding...so heartless. But then again Draco had no heart.  
  
--Blackmail--...he thought again. --You would be proud of me Kitty...so proud.--  
  
It wasn't until later that he realized he had promised himself never to say her name again.  
  
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Thanks to my amazing reviewers, who I would normally mention, but today I have about zilch energy...you guys are great-its your reviews that inspire me to write.  
Reviews rock! Come on chant it with me  
Next chapter...  
-Kitty? So she had a name now? Anything else?  
-How is Ginny going to react to that little cupboard escapade?  
-Poor Blonde? Will she have her revenge?  
-Blackmail, blackmail and hey, even more blackmail!  
-So Slut!Parvati and Slut!Lavender want to have lunch?  
Lol, for the Draco and Blonde scene I was originally going to try out some smut, but it was too scary in the end... Draco and random blonde smut...hmm. Not really working. 


	7. Of Blackmail, a spidery hand and some Sl...

Contrary to popular beliefs, Draco did occasionally get some work done.  
  
At this particular moment he was skimming over the most recent campaigns to improve spellbound and perfecting his ideas on rough travel that he was planning to introduce the second Franklin walked out the doors of the building.  
  
However, that wasn't the only thing his mind was fixed upon. He knew he had to get rid of Ginny- and he knew the only was he could do that was by blackmail.  
  
He knew he had to do something quickly...but there didn't seem much that he could do. She had a golden reputation in the company and her slate was completely clean. He had even researched her past careers since leaving Hogwarts. There wasn't much aside from a brief spell in the Ministry of Magic-which she had left at her own accord, and a boring waitress job.  
  
Thinking there might have been some dirt there, Draco had visited her employer, only to find that Ginny had been a favourite, only leaving when a job in tourism had unexpectedly come up.  
  
It really was a dead end. How could you blackmail someone with nothing to blackmail them with?  
  
He supposed he could create some false rumour, but she had too much going for her and too many people to vouch for her...he would only be endangering his own career.  
  
It had been a week since their little closet escapade, and not a single moment had been wasted. Not only did he have Ginny to worry about, but the details for his trip needed to be finalised. All the details were almost ironed out, and at the companies campaign launch the following day, he would unveil his plans.  
  
A sudden knock at the door, brought him back to reality.  
  
"Come in," Draco called gruffly.  
  
Franklin walked into the office, smiling at Draco, then asked in a pleasant tone,"How are the plans coming along?"  
  
"Good thanks, its a bit of a rush though- everything has to be perfect by tomorrow."  
  
"That's true," Franklin said, stroking his chin thoughtfully, "it has to be delivered perfectly as well- we don't want anyone getting any funny ideas about the conditions."  
  
Draco nodded, absentmindedly, shuffling his papers, "I think I've got it pretty much worked out. Did I tell you about the publicity tour?"  
  
"No, not yet. Have you figured out where to go for your first expedition?"  
  
"Yes...I was thinking Australia. Its got that remarkable outback--I read all about it the other day. Apparently its very remote...bit of a challenge really."  
  
"Sounds great," Franklin nodded enthusiastically. "Mind you don't mention it to Ginny though! She'll hate the idea...always had a bit of a attitude to living it rough."  
  
Draco's head snapped up.  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"Oh, nothing, just saying that Ginny had always particularly hated dust and such. I remember a year or so back, I asked her if she could long-distance floo to Arabia to check out a luxury hotel in the desert. She was excited at first until she found out she would have to do a day of rough travelling...then she turned it down flatly. No amount of encouraging could make her change her mind."  
  
"You don't say..." replied Draco, smirking evilly. "Are her opinions to roughage still the same?"  
  
"Very much so. Her brother Bill told me at her Birthday party that she told him she wouldn't be caught dead in Egypt...or Australia for that matter. He was doing a dig at a curse site in Australia about a month back, and he was going to invite the whole family to go. Apparently Ginny was the only one with some free time- and she refused him flatly!"  
  
Draco had hit the jackpot.  
  
"Well, as interesting as this conversation has been, I think I need some time to get my notes into order. Thanks Franklin!"  
  
"That's fine." said Franklin, looking bemused as he left the office, sending curious looks at Draco from over his shoulder.  
  
Draco grabbed a spare piece of paper and began to scribble down his ideas.  
  
Virginia Weasley was toast.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Ginny hated missing her lunch break...especially when it was all the fault of a certain Blonde that she despised. All because of his stupid company revamping, she was being forced to go through file after file after file...and only a week after her birthday as well!  
  
She hadn't been exactly sure what her twenty-sixth birthday was supposed to signify. At least a change in life- not the usual day after day boredom that comes from slaving away at your enemies files.  
  
Being Franklin's PA had seemed all right- sure he got grouchy sometimes, but he was fair and never tried to pin her with any work that wasn't justly hers. Draco Malfoy on the other hand...he was a different kettle of fish. For the past week that she had been under his command, Ginny had file after file pushed upon her as well as several other documents to process. She was positive none of it was meant for her either.  
  
Glaring as she tried to understand a particularly badly written parchment, Ginny finally gave up with a loud sigh and left her office, slamming the door behind her.  
  
She decided that in her current state, the best way around it would be some coffee...yes, extra caffinated coffee.  
  
Wandering down the long hallways, Ginny stopped only occasionally to say hi to several employee's that she was on good terms with. The very last door on the hallway she avoided however, as if was the office of one of the few people in the company that she didn't get on with...Renee Wagner.  
  
Renee was a German blonde, with big blue eyes that believed she was better than every other person in the company. She had the body of a super-model, which she wasn't afraid to flaunt (judging by her belt-like skirts and midriff tops) and boy, was she a slut.  
  
If Ginny didn't know Franklin better she would have said Renee, judging by her complete lack of, well, any sorts of skills, had slept her way into the company.  
  
Bracing herself Ginny walked past the office, cringing against the loud, and obnoxious voice that was Renee's.  
  
"Sweetie..no, Sweetie. You listen to me. Franklin's finally quitting."  
  
"Are you serious?"  
  
"Yes...I heard from Lucy that a total spunk is taking his place...you know, that Draco guy who's office is near by?"  
  
Ginny paused, mid-hall, interested suddenly in the conversation. Peering around the doorway she fighted hard to suppress her sniggers as she watched Renee sitting on the edge of the table carefully charming nail polish onto her Rita-Skeeter like talons. The other girl was Tiffany, a nervous, lackey sort of girl who was the main administration girl for spellbound. She had fluffy, long brown hair and worshiped Renee.  
  
"I'm so jealous of Ginny," whispered Tiffany. Hearing her name, Ginny slunk back a little so that she could only hear their voices.  
  
"Of that little slut! Everyone knows she spends her life trying to shmooze up to Franklin!"  
  
"You mean to say," Tiffany said quickly, "That Ginny has been sleeping around with Franklin!"  
  
"No you idiot. I mean she's been sucking up to his family. Who else would fucking baby-sit his kids. What's she trying for...Nun of the year?"  
  
Ginny, sniggered softly and peered around the corner again. Tiffany was now looking very confused, and Ginny couldn't blame her.  
  
"Then how is Ginny a slut?"  
  
"Because..because. Um, well I heard that Draco and her were enemies...yeah, enemies. So why would Ginny be his personal assistant unless she wanted to, uh, shag him senseless? Yeah. That's it."  
  
"Wow, Renee," Tiffany breathed,"You are, like, so smart!"  
  
Thinking that more innocent brain-cells were being murdered by listening to this conversation, Ginny pulled herself away from the door and snuck into the kitchen trying not to be too obvious.  
  
It was only when she had her back rested against the white cabinets of the kitchenette, coffee machine on, that she relaxed. It was always interesting to discover what your fellow workers thought about you...In a place as small as Spellbound Ginny had walked into several conversations about her.  
  
Funny...I've been called boring, a prude and too frigging normal, but this is the first time the word 'slut has come up. Ginny mused while sipping her latte.  
  
A clatter sounded behind her and Ginny turned to look, intrigued. To her disgust however, it was just Draco, smirking at her as if her birthday had come early.  
  
"Say, Ginny-"  
  
"That's Virginia."  
  
"Virginia. Ever considered a trip to Australia?"  
  
"Are you crazy! Why would I want to go to Australia.  
  
"Never mind..thanks."  
  
With that he strode out like the cat who stole the canary, only pausing to shoot back over his shoulder, "See you tomorrow at the presentation. Oh, and I need to speak to you in my office when its all over."  
  
"Sure thing...asshole." she whispered bluntly.  
  
Why was he being so civil? Something was definitely up.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
One day later, Ginny found herself stuck in the crowded meeting room, surrounded by every single employee of Spellbound and some of their most influential investors.  
  
She had been extra careful with the snacks provided that day...they were all extra expensive and all very chocolaty. Yes, bribery with food seemed like a great idea.  
  
Ginny sighed as Franklin continued to blabber on about her much he was going to miss everyone and how much they were going to love the new company...Ginny usually would have found this all very tear-jerking, but on this particular day she was very interested in what, Mr Malfoy had to say for himself.  
  
She didn't have to wait for too long...soon Franklin ended his speech, eyes filled to the brim with tears.  
  
"And please welcome your new boss and owner of Spellbound, Draco Malfoy."  
  
The room erupted with applause...Ginny couldn't believe the sort of attention he was getting. Turning to roll her eyes at Linda, she stopped dead watching her friend stare blankly at Draco, a lock sick smile pasted onto her face.  
  
"Oh brother," Ginny whispered, "Not you too."  
  
Draco started to speak.  
  
"Welcome to what I hope will be a informative view on some of the changes I plan on making to the company."  
  
Whispers immediately sprung up. To Ginny's grim satisfaction, she heard several people exclaim,"Changes? We don't know nothing about no changes!"  
  
Draco held up a hand for silence and began to speak once more.  
  
"Until recently I'm sure that most of you were uninformed about the financial status of Spellbound. For a year you have been losing money rapidly, Travelworld is taking over the niche for luxury vacations and Spellbound was suffering greatly." "I intent to put a stop to this financial breakdown, but before I begin I would like to give you some background information."  
  
Draco stopped speaking only long enough to draw some figures in the air with his wand.  
  
"Here you see the consumer reaction to oversea's holidays. Only about twenty% is wealthy enough to benefit from the luxury hotels...sure, you may argue that there are other ways for people to gain access to these sorts of resources...competitions, meetings- the list varies. The problem is that only a further twenty-five% is actually interested in this sort of holiday...so that leaves 45% of people with no options and the rest of the tourism industry to struggle with the few people that are interested in the offers we advertise."  
  
Whispers began to circulate around the room, obviously nobody had realised what a mess the industry was in. People began to look terrified and for the first time and possibly the last time, Ginny was the tiniest bit grateful for Draco's leadership.  
  
Said Champion of Leaders was now clearing his throat and continuing his monolog.  
  
"Settle down people. I know that the tourism industry seems to be in a bit of a slump, but I have an idea. I've done a lot of rough travel in my lifetime (as this several girls seemed to get a bit faint-perhaps at the though of Draco swimming through a tropical waterfall with- not that Ginny was thinking of it, of course) and I have a few ideas that may just save this company."  
  
He now had everyone's attention, as they stared at him eyes wide open. Draco shot Ginny and smug look and continued to talk.  
  
"In a week's time I shall be embarking on a publicity trip to the Northern Territory, Australia. Not only will this give me a chance to investigate the package deals on offer, and explore the opportunity for planned tours, but I intend on distributing a number of brochures to our clients and consider opening our offices in Australia. I can understand that you might have some serious issues regarding this big transition, so I've asked Miranda, an expert at this sort of thing to come and give you a brief seminar."  
  
As a perky Brunette stood up at the head of the table, Draco grabbed him papers and briefcase then continued, "If any major issues come up, I will be in my office brain-storming. Ginny, will you please join me?"  
  
Ginny stood up, puzzled. Why would he want to brainstorm with her? Her questions were left un-answered however, and Draco strolled quickly out of the room, Ginny struggling to keep up.  
  
It wasn't until they were in his office that he let his professional facade down.  
  
"Now Ginny-kins, do take a seat."  
  
"Please," Ginny said icily," Refer to me as Miss Weasley or Virginia."  
  
"Right-o Virginia...Ever heard of Australia?"  
  
Ginny rolled her eyes and leaned over to glare.  
  
"Of course I have you idiot...what do you think I am?"  
  
Draco was obviously taking great amusement in her sufferings, "Why I thought you were a Weasley! Doesn't that just say it all."  
  
Ginny let out a low growl and tried to jump across the table at him. Regaining her posture she replied, "Don't ever speak to me as though your better...don't you ever."  
  
"Bit late isn't it."  
  
"Look, Mr Malfoy, If you have a point, you better get to it, before I chuck that charming gold paper weight of yours out the window."  
  
"Settle down, Miss Weasley before I have you fired."  
  
Ginny sneered maliciously, "But you can't...remember."  
  
"Ah yes, about that. I know I can't have you fired so I've decided to resort to the consolation prize."  
  
"And what exactly is that?" Ginny asked, raising her eyebrows apprehensively.  
  
"I've decided," Draco said, raising his arms in a stretch, "I've decided that there is just far to much paper work down under for me to handle. So, Ginny dear, I've decided that you can come with me."  
  
"I'm not quite sure I understand."  
  
"Its quite simple really. You...and by that I mean your whole self, not apparitions, are coming with me to Australia."  
  
Ginny stared at him and blinked quickly. He couldn't be serious... however one glance at his face told her all she needed to know.  
  
Bastard.  
  
"There is no way in Hell that I'm going with you to Australia and staying in some sort of Australian hotel."  
  
"Oh dear...so much you need to learn. We're not staying in a hotel you know...this is rough camping." He rolled the word rough out on his tongue and ran his fingers along the smooth surface of the desk.  
  
Ginny watched them entranced...long and slender they were like spiders.  
  
Ginny shivered as his words sunk in.  
  
"No."  
  
"I'm afraid you have no choice."  
  
"I do...I can decide, no work can ever force someone to do something They don't want...no."  
  
"Then your fired."  
  
"I told you! You can't-"  
  
"I can."  
  
Draco stared at her evilly, eyes half closed, an angelic expression that was laced with malice.  
  
"I'm allowed to fire you if you do not consent to my wishes...its a legitimate reason."  
  
"Right.." Ginny said with a touch of hysteria, "Right...so if you asked me to give you a blow-job right now and I refused I would be fired?"  
  
"That depends" Draco replied coyly, training his eyes down to where her shirt had dipped open, displaying a patch or creamy skin. Ginny followed his eyes and tugged her shirt closed, face scarlet. "That depends whether you would want to or not. In our situation you see, I'm sure you would jump at that chance."  
  
Ginny stared, disgusted. "If I ever had the misfortune of being in that position, Mr Malfoy, you can rest assured that one week later there would be a letter on someone in authorities desk accusing you of rape. There is no way In hell I would ever...I'm not coming to Australia."  
  
"You are."  
  
"I'm NOT."  
  
"Do you like your job?"  
  
"Not at the moment."  
  
"Well then pack your bags...if your not coming, your fired. This trip is work related and I'm asking you as the employer to come. It is entirely legitimate that if you refuse you should be fired."  
  
Ginny stared at him, defeated. There would be no way that she would get another job, not with the currency like it was and not with the recommendation that Malfoy would be sure to send round to every employer in the country. Unless she went, she was screwed.  
  
"This is blackmail you know." she said quietly, tears pooling in her eyes then spilling over.  
  
Draco walked around and roughly pushed her tears of her cheeks with his thumbs.  
  
"I know," he replied, equally as soft, before he lowered his hand, trancing down her neck and with the touch of a butterfly running his opened hand down the front of her shirt, slightly caressing her curves.  
  
Ginny shivered obviously and looked up at Draco with burning eyes, the intensity of her passion mixed with her pure hatred.  
  
Draco snatched his hand away and glared at her.  
  
"We're leaving next Tuesday. Make all the necessary arrangements.  
  
Then he was gone. 


	8. Of nervousbreakdowns, Roger and Portkeys

Ginny stumbled around her office, staring at the floor and muttering curses under her breath. The situation she was in seemed hopeless- a game where she could lose, or lose even worse. Why had Malfoy done this to her? She couldn't believe it would just be about paperwork...it must be something else, some hidden cruelty.  
  
"Ginny?" called a voice, jolting her from her troubled thoughts. Turning around, Ginny was faced with the last person she would have expected to see.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
"Hi!"  
  
Ginny looked him up and down with pure confusion. Why the hell was Harry Potter standing in her small, office, holding of all things, cookies?  
  
"What are you doing here? I'm at work, for the love of God!"  
  
"Well, I was in the area and I thought it might be your lunch-break. The secretary told me I could find you in here." Harry was about to offer her a cookie, but looked up and saw Ginny's tear-streaked face and trembling body. "Ginny! What's wrong?"  
  
Ginny found herself doing something she would later recall as very embarrassing; rushing over to Harry, she flung herself into his arms and started to sob uncontrollably.  
  
"Shh...its ok," murmured Harry, softly stroking her hair.  
  
"No its not," sobbed Ginny, burrowing deeper into Harry's chest.  
  
All her carefully constructed emotions came tumbling down, as her facade of normalcy broke and she was left with nothing but her unprotected heart. Draco had pushed one very troubled girl over her breaking point, and it couldn't be fixed anytime soon.  
  
"Malfoy blackmailed me...I have to go to Australia with him or I lose my job."  
  
"WHAT!?!" Harry thundered, holding Ginny a little tighter than necessary.  
  
Ginny nodded miserably and told Harry the whole story. By the time she had finished, her head was filling with a dark mist, anger and frustration clouding her mind. Harry led her to sit down in her plush, swivel, chair. He himself sat on the edge of the desk, and tried to offer advice.  
  
"With a boss like Malfoy, isn't this sort of a blessing? You can find a new job now."  
  
Ginny shook her head sadly and explained carefully, "There isn't a great number of jobs out there Harry...the tourism industry is in turmoil, and its feeding off onto several other sections of the job market."  
  
"How can that be?"  
  
"Tourism and Hospitality stabilize the economy...little towns get profit for tourists, and local suppliers get most of their work from restaurants and hotels. With the industry in a mess, it's affecting the job market. Besides, remember how long it always takes me to find a new job?" "I can't lose this job Harry. I have a massive rent. Clarissa already covers more than she's supposed to. Look, if I lose this job I lose my apartment...If I lose my apartment I'm living at home. I won't be normal Harry! I'll be a failure...All I want to be NORMAL."  
  
Ginny slumped into the desk. There it was again. Her obsessive desire--no, her obsessive *compulsion* to be average. Why couldn't she break free from it? Why was it haunting her life? She hadn't seen Roger for weeks now, but they were still going out. All because of her bloody addiction to normalcy.  
  
Harry leaned over and wrapped his arms around her again. Searching his brain for something that could consol her, he finally reached a decision.  
  
"Well if you don't want to lose your job, think of it this way. Isn't an all expense paid trip to Australia a blessing?"  
  
"I don't think you get it Harry," Ginny said, rage starting to seep into her speech. "Firstly, Malfoy is my, and may I add your, enemy. I might even have to share a tent with him! If he can make my life miserable at the office, imagine what he can do when we're alone surrounded by crocodiles and other unmentionable things!"  
  
Harry was slowly turning purple. Obviously, the idea of Ginny alone with Draco in the middle of the desert, squished into a small tent, wasn't all that appealing to him either.  
  
"I get your point," he said through gritted teeth.  
  
But Ginny had finally reached her limit, and under no condition was she going to stop. To put it bluntly, she was on a roll.  
  
"Secondly, what normal person goes gadabouting around the desert! All I want is a jolly hotel- is that too much to ask? Besides, I finally got my life sorted out. I have a, uh, well, an ok boyfriend (at this Harry flinched ) nice flat, and until a month ago, I had a great job. I don't want to leave and stuff it all up! I just want a nice, *normal* life. I want to read the newspaper, I want to wear striped Pjamas, and YES I want to eat cornflakes! Is this TOO much to ASK!"  
  
"Uh, apparently yes," Harry said softly, ducking his head to avoid Ginny's furious wrath.  
  
"Oh for the Love of God...Harry it doesn't matter if *you're* normal. You're Harry-bloody-Potter! I bet in the Harry Potter job description, it *requires* you to be interesting!"  
  
"Ginny, maybe you should go home."  
  
Ginny launched herself out of her chair. It seemed that now the dam had been broken, years worth of repressed words were streaming forth.  
  
"Shut-up Harry! I'm sick of hanging onto every word you say...Its about time I yelled at you. I'm sick of being Roger's little simpering slave! I'm sick of Ron, Charlie, Bill..."  
  
"Uh-"  
  
"And for God sake, I'm completely fed up with those bloody twins! Fuck everybody."  
  
Harry watched as Ginny paused to take a big breath. Thinking she had finished he cautiously sidled up to her, ready for the tears. None came however, as Ginny stood up and neatly snapped her favourite quill in half.  
  
"That's better," she said in an eerily calm voice, heading over to the fireplace.  
  
"Uh, Ginny?" Harry asked cautiously as she got out her floo powder. "Where exactly are you going?"  
  
"To have a little chat with Roger...I may even punch him," she said in the same monotonous voice.  
  
"Ok...WHAT!" cried Harry, trying to reach for her before she jumped into the fire.  
  
"One last thing Harry," Ginny requested, as the flames turned green. "Tell Draco I'm taking time off to prepare myself for this trip...oh, and don't forget to mention, that if he wants war, he's going to get a war...and mark my words, its going to be one hell of a fucking war."  
  
Then she was gone.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Roger Davies was having quite a nice day.  
  
A rich historian and his wife had been in town that week, and after escorting them around his new gallery, he had shown them back to his house for lunch. So far things were going extremely well, they had made it up to dessert without a single hitch.  
  
"Would you like more chocolate sauce, Mrs. Smithies?" Roger simpered, holding the china jug out to the plump woman sitting next to him.  
  
"Well," she said poshly, "I really shouldn't--all those calories!"  
  
"Mrs. Smithies! Surely you needn't worry about such things!" Roger replied charmingly. "You look at least twenty-six years old--and in perfect health no doubt!"  
  
Mrs. Smithies blushed, giggled a little, and tried to pretend that she wasn't flattered beyond belief by the previous compliment. When she had sufficiently recovered, and her enormous stomach had stopped wobbling, she delicately took the sauce from Roger and poured it generously over her strawberry scone.  
  
"So young, Roger!" Mr. Smithies boomed. "Got to get you spruced up! The clock's ticking, young fellow...tick-tock." He then broke into uproarious laughter, while Roger tried hard to stop his eye from twitching and bravely joined in.  
  
"Oh yes, pity you couldn't meet my long time partner, Virginia."  
  
"Yes it is. I heard that she was a lovely girl...if not a little, well, plain," added Mrs. Smithies, turning her piggy, little nose upwards.  
  
"Plain!" exclaimed Mr. Smithies loudly. "If you call that girl plain, I hate to think what you're opinion of yourself is! She's a stunner- a right little temptress."  
  
Mrs. Smithies glared at her husband viciously, before answering in a curt tone, "Yes, well. Matter of opinion."  
  
Roger was steadily becoming more and more interested with the violet print tablecloth.  
  
"So!" he cut in brightly after awhile of bickering over whether Virginia was a goddess or a tramp. "Anyone up for coffee and biscuits? We can eat them by the grand fire!"  
  
"That would be very nice, dear," replied Mrs. Smithies, fluttering her eyelashes in a rather lame attempt to make her husband jealous.  
  
Roger rushed into the kitchen and prepared some of his special Kenyan coffee, adding to the tray a few chocolate biscuits spiked with a congenial potion. He wanted his guests in the best possible mood before he sprung his business proposition with Mr. Smithies.  
  
When all was completed, Roger strode into the spacious lounge, carefully balancing the tray. He had almost made it to the large, ornamental coffee table, when the fireplace glowed bright green.  
  
"Expecting visitors?" Mrs. Smithies asked in a tone that suggested this was all very bad form.  
  
"No." replied Roger, eyeing the fireplace apprehensively.  
  
The flames crackled for a brief second as Virginia Weasley stepped out, kicking large amounts of ash onto the clean, cream carpet.  
  
Roger watched in horror--Ginny was wearing a cheap suit, for goodness sakes. Not only that, but her hair was down, running in molten red rivers down her back. Mrs. Smithies was staring at her as if she was some sort of wild animal.  
  
"Roger," She growled, flicking her hair over one shoulder. Mr. Smithies watched with wide eyes, until his wife hit him over the head with her handbag. "I want a word with you."  
  
"Virginia," Roger hissed, nodding franticly toward his guests, "If you don't mind I have some company."  
  
Ginny looked over towards the guests as though she had never seen them before. Smiling flirtatiously, she winked at Mr. Smithies, who gulped several times, and asked in a husky voice,  
  
"Hey there, sir. Having a nice night?"  
  
Mr. Smithies stared before answering in a trembling voice, "Good thanks, Ma'am."  
  
Mrs. Smithies eyed Ginny with growing distaste, especially when the girl neglected to say hello to her, instead ignoring Roger's frantic signaling, Ginny grabbed his collar and insisted they talk in private.  
  
"Guess what, baby?" Ginny asked, after she had shoved Roger into his coat closet down the hall. "I was black-mailed and felt up by my boss today."  
  
"Uh, really?" asked Roger distractedly, as he tried to push past Ginny, "Can we discuss this later?"  
  
"Did you just listen to a word I said? I just told you I was sexually harassed and that my boss committed a crime, and you're ignoring me?"  
  
"Well," said Roger gruffly, concentrating on Ginny's chest, much as Malfoy had done earlier, "I wouldn't say I was exactly ignoring you."  
  
Being stuck in a closet with his very attractive girlfriend was starting to get to him. It didn't help that she appeared to be in a terrible rage--this only added to her complete allure. In the manner of somebody who was very self-assured, he reached over and pulled Ginny closer to him in the dark. Ginny came easily, looking up at him through lowered eyelashes.  
  
"There, there sweetie." Roger said, tugging open Ginny's shirt, displaying a delicate cream bra that hugged her features. "Why don't we just relax."  
  
Pulling Ginny's face roughly to meet his, he began to sloppily kiss her, running his hands to the back of her bra and unhooking it clumisly. Once that was taken care of, his hands roamed to her front. Roger grinned with satisfaction, as he roughly fondled Ginny's breasts. Wanting to see more of her skin, he pulled her blouse completely off her and began to suck along her neck, moving rapidly down to her chest area. Roger couldn't believe his luck--Ginny wasn't the sort to usually consented to this sort of thing.  
  
Ginny waited until Rogers head was placed firmly in between her breasts, before saying in an off-hand sort of tone, "I'm going to Australia on Tuesday, with Draco Malfoy--you know? The one who tried to do exactly what you're attempting now?"  
  
Rogers head snapped up in surprise, and he exclaimed, "What!"  
  
"Yes, well, see, I've been black-mailed and I don't really have that much of a choice."  
  
"Virginia," Roger said chuckling patronisingly, "Lets not let our imagination get the better of us. Yes I'm *sure* that Draco Malfoy, Millionaire, attempted to make a pass on *you*...little Ginny Weasley."  
  
Ginny snarled and pulled Roger up, shoving him against the wall. Pushing her whole body up against him, she licked his neck and waited until she felt his reaction. In one sudden movement she jerked up her knee, hitting Roger square in his more, uh, sensitive area.  
  
Watching him drop to the floor and squirm around, she fastened her bra and tossed out her long, copper hair. Leaning down to where Roger was now curled up on the floor, she whispered in his ear, "I'm not an ornament--a little doll that you can use as you see fit. Oh, and in case I forgot to mention it to you earlier, we're through."  
  
Roger whimpered, and Ginny threw open the cupboard door, forgetting all about her shirt. Marching through the lounge room, she ignored Mr. Smithies drooling at her, standing proud in her underwear, and tossing Mrs. Smithies a scathing final glare, she hopped into the fireplace.  
  
Ginny guessed that everybody had a breaking point...besides, she need to pack, mental breakdown not included.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Draco paced through his penthouse, glaring at his feet and grumbling softly.  
  
His interview today hadn't exactley gone as per planned. Ginny wasn't supposed to agree to this little holiday outing...she was supposed to quit! His little pass on her hadn't worked either.  
  
He had expected her to yell, "Sexual Harassment" and run out of the building, but instead she had just stayed sitting there, her little body trembling, causing Draco to feel something he hadn't felt in a long time. Guilt.  
  
Guilty thoughts aside, he was stuck with her. Stuck with that whining, sniveling, hot, little girl.  
  
Wait a tic...he did not just think of that bratty redhead and relate her with hot...must have just been a slip of the tongue where he had meant to say "not".  
  
Grabbing his faithful brandy from the counter, Draco took a massive swig. He was stuck with her now, so he might as well try and deal with it.  
  
Draco just hoped that Tuesday wouldn't come.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Tuesday, Febuary 15th.  
  
Ginny sat in the crowded long-distance port-key terminal, tapping her foot nervously and shakily smiling at the passing-by wizards.  
  
The day she was dreading had finally arrived.  
  
After her little breakdown, Ginny had gone home and burrowed into her bed- covers, ignoring all phone-calls and on-coming floo's from her fireplace. She had kept this up for two days straight, until her family had ambushed her, storming into the apartment and pulling her out of her slump.  
  
Ginny didn't think she could deal with the truth at the moment, instead telling her family that she was off on a working holiday, ignoring the added complications. She had also owled Harry, begging him not to tell anyone about her troubles. He was as good as his word, and nobody had the slightest idea of what was really going on.  
  
Clarissa was the only other person who knew the truth, taking Ginny out shopping for clothes to wear in the hot, dusty deserts of Australia. Ginny was now the proud owner of six pairs of cargo shorts and eight singlet tops.  
  
"Ready?" asked a rough voice to her left.  
  
Ginny looked over and glared at her tormentor. Draco was standing there in a loose polo shirt and some khaki pants.  
  
"Ready as I'm ever going to be." Ginny answered timidly, still terrified of the whole thing.  
  
Without answering, Draco shoved her luggage onto a small trolley and lead her towards the customs system. After being scanned with a saftey spell, and an identification charm, Ginny and Draco were lead to where a small crowd was hanging around an official looking long strip of rubber.  
  
A perky bonde woman stepped up, and after introducing herself as their hostess, charmed everyone's luggage so it fitted snugly in their pockets.  
  
"Everyone, please step up to the portkey, and remember that some part of you must be touching it."  
  
She checked to see that everyone was holding on then stood back, smiling reassuringly at several terrified travellers- Ginny included.  
  
"Please be prepared for some amount of discomfort. It will be leaving in five seconds."  
  
Ginny trembled, and to Draco's amazment, reached out with her spare hand and gripped his shirt.  
  
Suddenly, the travellers felt the familiar feeling of being pulled through their stomachs, and the whirlwind sensation of being dragged halfway across the globe.  
  
As quickly as it started, it was finished, and they landed with a soft thump in a room full of padding. Heaving herself up from the floor, Ginny checked that her luggage was all safe, and walked shakily towards the exit, Draco following jerkily behind.  
  
When they emerged through the door, a blast of hot air hit them, with a voice booming,  
  
"Port-key sixty five, from London, England. Arrived at 11:30 am."  
  
Draco grabbed Ginny's arm and lead her over to customs. After another grueling ten minutes of charms and identification, they managed to reach the exit, peeling off their jumpers as more heat invaded their senses, sending Ginny into a fit of nausea, flooding her brain and filling her whole being with a sense of the surreal.  
  
Ginny wasn't sure how Draco managed to get her onto a taxi, or even how they made it to the hotel. All she was vaguely aware of was Draco shoving her into a king-sized bed and then there was sleep. 86416-976985716-8975- 987598706958705609839769830980398607956098760=5938705=69=0983079865=09783=09 7830987 Thanks everyone, for the great reviews...hahahah, I got my first flame! Just like to say to that person, if you're going to flame the way I write, why don't you send me a link of your stuff, so all of us can see your amazing talent...I'm not JK, I'm a 16 yr old girl for godsake! Right, now thats dealt with, I've got answers for a few questions. Chicken feet--I hope I've explained stuff a little more clearly in this chapter. Ginny can't afford to get a new job. She had a high rent, as I explained before and she's still quite young. Besides--Draco wouldn't be trying to help her, he just wants to get rid of her--its not that she's a bad employee, or that he's still carrying hatred for her. He's just unsettled by her challenging his authority and the lust he's developing for her. Sorry If I've not made alot of this clear. Also with the whole, open spaces australia thing...she just dosen't want to unsettle her life. Its not that she's terrified of it all, but she's worked hard to create an aura of Normalcy. She dosent want to go off into an unusual holiday. Riddlestar--just, thats it. Draco just wanted to get rid of Ginny--HA! sucked in Buddy. Renee-- Lol, I'm Australian too, so I'm putting this country in good light! Well..aside from the mossies and snakes... 


	9. Of Banshee bandits, snakes and a kiss

Title: Normality 

Summary: 

Rated: R (for sex scenes and adult themes) hmmm, that rather rhymes. 

A/N: Hi all! Sorry this chapter took so long to churn out. I just finished school for the term and had a few big scary exams. Thanks heaps for the positive replies! In this chapter I used a quote from '10 things I hate about you'. House points for whoever can pick it out! 

A big thanks to Lily Perlowin, who so greatly beta-reads this for me.

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Draco sat watching the small figure that was curled up in a ball of sheets, pillows and radiant, red hair. 

He wasn't exactly sure; WHY he was watching her...he supposed he just couldn't be bothered in the stifling blanket of heat to do anything else. Of course, this didn't explain why he was watching her so intently, or why he was creating reasons for his actions. Lucius had long ago informed Draco that people didn't make excuses unless they were doing something wrong. By this description, Draco was most definitely doing something wrong. 

He attempted to tear his eyes away from Ginny, and was disgusted when he found he couldn't. She just looked so vulnerable, so helpless, lying there as if death had taken her. It was a wonder that this was even the same woman that had blazed with fury just the day before, yelled at him and stated she wouldn't come near him with a ten-foot pole. 

"Mmm..." murmured Ginny from the bed, drawing Draco's immediate attention. 

She was finally stirring, lifting her head sleepily from the pillow, and awkwardly trying to make sense of the unfamiliar situation she was in. 

"Where am I?" she muttered, not really realizing who exactly Draco was. 

"Australia," he answered simply, watching the effect of his words. 

Ginny jumped up and practically flew out of the bed. 

"Its _you_." 

"Yes, it's '_me_'." 

"I had hoped all this was a terrible nightmare." 

"Trust me, at the moment its a very _pleasant _dream." 

Ginny looked up in confusion, and then followed where his eyes were leading. Somehow in all the confusion that was yesterday, she had managed to get changed into a large baggy Tee shirt. The problem with this particular attire was this it barely reached her upper thighs, displaying creamy flesh whichever way she tried to move. The T-Shirt was also thinning with age, and unfortunately Ginny had neglected to wear a bra, thus displaying some of her assets to the rather lucky Draco. 

"What are you doing in my room," Ginny growled, the last remnants of a peaceful sleep ebbing from her voice, as she flushed crimson and tried to tug her shirt down lower. 

"Tsk, tsk," Draco reprimanded softly, "You would think you might be pleasanter to the man who stopped you from crashing into around six doorways yesterday. Not to mention the fact that if I hadn't shown you where your bed was, you may have opted for the bathroom floor." 

"Answer my question Malfoy. Why are you in my room." 

"Simple. This is a suite with two rooms combined to make the one. I thought it would be easier to travel like this, as we're only using this hotel for one night. The only thing we'll have to share is the shower...and that's just for tonight." 

"What makes you think I would have a shower with _you_, of all people!" 

"Ginny, dear," Malfoy replied, staring at her patronizingly, "I wouldn't have a shower with you if you were the last person on earth...and there were no sheep. Are there sheep? I was simply saying that as there is only one bathroom, we might well have to take it in turns to use the SAME shower. Thus sharing it." 

"Ah." Ginny replied, coloring greatly before she thought of something else to ask. "Why were you watching me sleep?" 

"Watching _you_ sleep!" Draco spat. "Like hell I was!" 

"You were in here when I woke up," Ginny responded coolly. 

"That's because in a second I was going to have to wake you," lied Draco smoothly, "as we have a meeting with the manager of this hotel today. I'm trying to bargain the usage of the hotel as a starting point for our tour." 

"Its a nice hotel." Ginny observed, glancing around the room. It was painted a rich cream, with a king-sized bed smack bang in the center next to a small vanity. A few ornamental chairs were slung here and there, as well as an ornate wooden table decorated with a large vase full of gorgeous tropical flowers in a variety of rich colors. Bright sunlight filtered in through sheer curtains on the full-length windows on the opposite wall. Ginny's hands idly felt the lush velvet covers on which she had just been sleeping.

"I agree." 

"So what's the agenda for today." 

Draco whipped out a little back schedule book and consulted it quickly. 

"We have that meeting this morning, and then...well, nothing. We can relax around the hotel, until tomorrow, when we can start the route that's going to be used on the tour." 

"Right," said Ginny, inspecting her nails nervously. 

"Good," replied Draco. 

"Yes." 

"Well." 

"Um..." Silence prevailed between the two standing awkwardly in the narrow space between the bed and the large entertainment cabinet on the far wall, the whirring sound of the fan the only noise except for the impossibly loud beating of their nervous racing hearts.

"Uh...I might just go now." 

"Ok," said Ginny, grateful to be rid of the uncomfortable moment. 

"Oh, and Virginia?" 

"Yes?" 

"Put some clothes on...you're distracting enough as it is." 

* * * * * 

Ginny checked her watch for about the eighth time in fifteen minutes, and tried hard to stifle a massive yawn. The meeting had now been going on for half an hour, and to tell the truth, it was as boring as hell. 

After Draco had finally left her bedside that morning, it had taken Ginny much longer than usual to get dressed. Firstly, the time difference was starting to really mess her up. Although it was eleven-o-clock in the morning in Australia, it was nearing one or so in England...and Ginny was feeling the effects. Also, Draco's little visit had disturbed her quite a bit. She was positive he had been watching her sleeping. It was just too much of a coincidence that he was in her room when she woke up. 

"And what do you think, Miss Weasley?" 

"Huh?" she said, snapping to attention, and trying to focus on the burly hotel manager, Mr. Booth. 

"I was just wondering what you thought of our facilities?" The Mr. Booth questioned, looking carefully at her. 

"They're great!" Ginny gushed, trying to make up for the fact that she had almost been asleep, "Simply spectacular. I was very impressed. Yes." 

The manager smirked approvingly, and then turned to Draco, "And you, Mr. Malfoy? What do you think about our guest rooms?" 

"They're alright, I _suppose_," Draco responded noncommittally, throwing the manager off balance. "But there were some minor glitches." 

Ginny zoned out, as once again the meeting was thrown into the deep end of boring. She only came back to reality when Draco stood up and shook the manager hand, saying in a very pleased sort of tone, "Thank you sir. I appreciate doing business with you." 

She noticed the manager looked less happy as he shook Ginny's hand, and exclaimed, "It was a pleasure to meet you Miss. Please enjoy your stay and make sure to try out all of our wonderful facilities." 

"I will," Ginny promised, before looking up and realizing that Draco had just left the room. Jogging to keep up with him, Ginny finally reached him halfway down the corridor, panting heavily. 

"Way to wait," she said sarcastically, before noticing something that surprised her beyond belief, "Are you smiling, Malfoy?" 

"No." He said quickly, the smile dropping off his face. 

"You were!" Ginny giggled, "You were smiling! Don't deny it!" 

"Why would _I_ be smiling…?" 

"Well, did you sort out the terms?" 

"Yes." 

"And?" 

"I nailed him." 

"You did?" Ginny cried excitedly, watching with delight as the smile worked its way back onto Draco's face. 

"Yup...he was practically shivering!" Draco exclaimed in proud glee. 

Ginny watched his face carefully. He looked so much younger then usual--more carefree...more accepting. She suddenly realized she had never before seen him with a real smile. Sure, he had smirked once or twice, and evil grins were nothing out of the ordinary, but this was an honest-to-God smile and surprisingly enough, it suited him. 

"You look better when you smile," Ginny said quietly, before immediately wishing she could take it back. 

"Thanks," he answered, looking at her strangely. 

Ginny flushed in embarrassment. This wasn't working the way she might have liked. This was Malfoy. Her enemy. She wasn't supposed to be complementing his smile! If anything, she should be mocking him, making fun of any human emotions. He seemed different though...maybe it was just the heat. Almost as if he sensed her eyes, Draco turned to her and studied her face curiously. His surprise at being watched was almost comically obvious. It was also obvious he didn't like the attention. 

"What are you looking at Weasley?" Draco suddenly spat. "Admiring something you can't have?" 

And the moment was gone. 

Both of them were quiet during the elevator ride, and after that, the short walk to the hotel room. It wasn't until Ginny was scanning her entry card for identification that Draco spoke. 

"Be ready in fifteen minutes. We're going swimming." 

"Great." Ginny said, snapping into a salute. "While we're at it, do you want me to polish your shoes?" 

"I'm sure that's what you are usually accustomed to doing. After all, you _are_ a Weasley." 

"The 'Poor Weasley' jokes seem to be getting a bit old, don't they?" Ginny inquired angrily, "Going to come up with any new material soon, Malfoy? Because you've been saying the same old shit for _fourteen_ years." 

"I would advise you to shut your fucking mouth." 

Ginny stared at Draco. He was practically trembling. For someone who could dish it out so well, he sure had trouble taking it back. 

"And I would advise you to grow up." 

Draco stared at her, like he couldn't believe her disobedience. Ginny watched as he visually composed himself, before he turned back to her, hands still shaking, and commanded in a rigid voice, "Be ready in fifteen." 

Ginny, finally, in the threat of being both frozen and burned to death simultaneously by Draco's anger, managed to get the door open, and Draco stalked past her into their joint room, then disappeared into his own quarters, slamming the door behind him. 

* * * * * 

"Stupid brat...who does she thinks she is? Next thing you know...Ouch!" 

Draco stopped pacing and sat down on his bed heavily, nursing his stubbed toe. Only Ginny could work him into such a fit of fury. 

Who did she think she was anyway? Nobody insulted a Malfoy and got away with it. Nobody but that stupid redhead with her pathetic, little, Harry Potter-crush. Why did she like him anyway? Couldn't she see that she was so much better than that? 

Draco groaned and crushed his face to his hands. Now he was analyzing her love life! Could he sink _any_ lower? No, he decided, he could not. It was time to get Virginia Weasley out of his system. For good. 

As he pulled on the appropriate clothing, Draco wondered how he was to accomplish this near impossible feat. He knew it would be hard…she was gorgeous, and her fiery temper only matched that of his desire for her. But he knew it wouldn't be impossible. Because Draco didn't love her, and anything that Draco didn't love could be cleared out of his mind faster than you could say sex. Of course, such ability can also have a downside. It was disgusting that he was still having images of…of. But Draco had vowed never to say her name again. 

Yes, the only way that Draco was going to keep his heart away from Ginny was by hating her. Pure, simple, unadulterated hate. 

"Malfoy?" called Ginny, rapping on the door impatiently. "Are you ready to go? The manager just called and offered you a car for this afternoon." 

Draco swung open the door and mustered up the best glare he could manage, "Call him back and ask if he can put a map in the car. Tell him I want to get to Glinmey." 

"Got it." Ginny answered, not shrinking in the slightest at his glare. This only angered Draco further, though a glimmer of hope on the horizon soon cheered him up. Glinmey was known for its rough terrain and unforgiving wildlife. This was going to be an afternoon that Ginny wouldn't forget in a hurry. 

Soon they were both ready to go, and Draco lead Ginny hurridly through the never-ending labyrinth that most hotels are fashioned after. They passed through several levels of rooms as well as a large indoor pool and health center (including a spa, sauna and steam room). The also journeyed through the restaurant and visited the snack machine, before finally making it into the large terracotta colored lobby. 

"Good afternoon. How may I help you?" asked the receptionist sweetly, when they had approached her desk. 

"I would like to pick up the car Mr. Booth promised. Can I also leave some valuable's here?" 

"Certainly sir. Did he specify what car you would be using?" 

Ginny was in her element. Cutting in, she asked in the same brisk tone, "I think he mentioned a jeep? Oh, and we also requested a map to Glinmey." 

"Wait one moment." She replied, flashing them a blindingly white smile. 

She was gone for several minutes, and Ginny amused herself by counting the number of paintings on the wall of the lobby. It was a large spacious room, with potted plants decorating nearly every available floor space. Hotel management rushed around wearing unusual uniforms. Unlike the typical red suits most upper scale hotels settled for, the staff were decked out in loose fitting white shirts and artistically creased khaki trousers. 

_And no wonder…_Thought Ginny._ In this heat any more would surely suffocate them._

"Yes, everything seems to be in order," the receptionist chirped, upon arrival. "Mr. Booth left you the keys to the Jeep. I assume one of you can drive? May I please see your documents?" 

Both Ginny and Draco reached into their respective bags and drew out the required papers. 

"Here you go." They both chorused, trying to be the first one to reach the desk. 

"Hold on," Draco said, staring at the papers in Ginny's hands, "you can _drive_?" 

"Uh, yes?" Ginny questioned, "I was taught last year when Harry bought his new car. He insisted all of us needed to know. Hold on…_you_ can drive? But you're against all muggle things!" 

"Ever seen a Porsche?" Draco answered offhandedly. 

"Typical… you don't like anything _muggle_ unless it's a _rich _thing." 

"Got a problem?" 

"Well maybe-" 

"_Excuse me_," the receptionist cut in, looking nervous as she tried to figure out what exactly the word 'muggle' actually meant. "Could _I please_ see the papers." 

"Yes," snarled Draco, handing her his papers. Looking back over at Ginny, he added, "I'm driving." 

"Well, duh." 

"There you go, and please call me Jean." The receptionist told them, handing back Dracos papers. "Frank will show you two to the car. Oh, here's your map as well." 

"Thank you," Ginny replied, politely taking the map, as a young man dressed in the staff uniform, with a nametag reading 'Frank' walked up. 

"This way please." He said, leading them into the elevator, then down into the basement. They took a few more turns until they finally reached a dark, dingy garage. Frank left them to once again study the surroundings, and soon came driving out in a black jeep. 

Handing the keys to Draco, he wished them a pleasant afternoon, and left them with directions on how to exit the car park. After following these they were soon driving into the bright sunlight, feeling the warmth float into the car. 

Draco soon pulled up by the side of the road, making Ginny question his actions. 

"Its too hot in here. I'm taking down the sun-roof." 

"Alright," Ginny agreed, as she jumped out of the vehicle and helped him perform the near impossible feat. However, with both of them working together, they soon had the roof down and continued to drive, feeling the sweet tasting wind blowing their hair and ruffling their senses. 

The towns they drove though were large, but all of them had a quaint feeling surrounding them. As she watched the weather-beaten shanties and palm trees, they seemed a million miles from home. In this surreal setting, it suddenly occurred to Ginny that she didn't have a clue where the hell she actually was. 

"Uh, Draco?" She asked nervously, as a truckload of hooligans overtook them, yelling profanities out to her, "Where exactly are we?" 

"We're on the way to Glinmey." 

"Ah yes, I rather gathered that much. I actually meant to ask where in _Australia_ are we?" 

Draco turned from his driving, and looked incredulously at Ginny, "You mean to say, that in all this time you didn't ask anyone where we were going?" 

"Well…no. In case you can't remember, I was fighting you tooth and nail until the last moment. I don't particularly want to be here right now." 

Draco rolled his eyes and said in a patronizing tone, "We're now in Queensland…actually Gin-Gin dear, better clear that up a bit and tell you that right now we're in Cairns. Cairns is in North Queensland and it a tropical location. Cairns in famous for- " 

"Alright, alright. You don't have to be mean about it. Where are we going tomorrow?" 

"Well, we're going to start to make our way into the Northern Territory." 

"Right." 

"Anything else?" 

"How much longer 'till we get to Glinmey?" 

"Zero time, we're here now." 

Ginny stared out of the window and admired the lush tropical surroundings. She also noticed with some distaste, the bushy landscape and dirt trails. 

"So where are we stopping. A teahouse? A café?" 

"No, a bush walk." 

"Oh right…_WHAT_!" 

"A bush walk." 

"You're not serious!" 

"Deadly. Now stop whining…we're here." 

Ginny glared furiously at the dirt car park and cruddy looking toilets. She hated rough travel of any kind. It just wasn't normal and it reminded her of the dirty caves that Tom had--But now was not the time for thinking of the past. This was the present, and at this time she was mad. 

"Why didn't you tell me we we're going bush walking?! I would've stayed at the hotel! I would have read a book! You stupid little…" 

"Now, now Ginny-kins. What's the fun of staying at the big, luxurious hotel with a warm bath and all the little soaps. Look around us! What could be more fun then tramping through mosquito-ridden bush, with all its nasty little surprises? Why take room service when you can have the joys of snakes and spiders!" 

"Snakes!" Ginny yelped, thinking of the massive basilisk that Harry had slain. She hated snakes. "Right, that's it. I'm staying in the car." 

"Sure you want to do that? I heard that the banshee bushrangers were on the loose again. Some bloke not 20 miles from here had his leg cut off by one." 

"You're bluffing." 

"Maybe, but can you afford to be sure?" 

Considering her options, Ginny decided that she would take being bitten by a few nasty snakes, rather than having her head hacked off. Malfoy might just be making the whole thing up, but wasn't  there safety in numbers? 

Edging nervously out of the car, she sprinted up to behind Draco and hid behind his back, cautiously checking out from behind his shoulder. 

"What the devil are you doing?" asked Draco, twitching. He wasn't used to having her so close. 

"You know, I wasn't joking when I said I was terrified." 

"That's nice…now can you get the hell away from me." 

"Twitchy little ferret, aren't you Malfoy." 

"Shut-up and start walking." 

They set off along the rough track, dodging fallen trees and swatting troublesome mosquitoes ruthlessly. The tracks lead them around trees and over rocks, through caves and twisting around fallen logs. Twice Ginny was terrified she had seen a snake, and these little sighting's had lead her into fits of hysteria. 

Finally they reached their destination. 

Draco immediately sat down on a large, flat rock, marveling in the beauty, and feeling very proud of himself for finding this little spot of paradise. 

Their location was a large freshwater pool. A lucid aquamarine in color, the bottom was covered with a layer of fine, gray sand and tropical ferns; palm tree's and exotic flowers surrounded the water. Large rock cliffs marked the edges of the pool, creating the look of a forgotten treasure, complete in its isolation. To finish the picture, perfecting the scene was a small waterfall, beating mercilessly down onto the rippling water. 

"Wow…" Ginny muttered, dropping like a log next to Draco. "This view is almost worth killing myself. Wait. I forgot. I just did." 

"You're here talking to me now aren't you?" 

"Barely. Got any water?" 

Draco sighed, and then pointed towards the pool, "What's that? Lava?" 

"Ewwww!" 

"What now?" 

"I can't drink that! It's probably contaminated!" 

"Ginny, we're in the middle of the bush…I highly doubt some toxic chemical company decided to helicopter there waste to here." 

"What makes you think I'm talking about toxic waste? Excuse me Mr. Smart, but I highly object to drinking possum piss." 

Draco sighed again, and stalked down to the edge of the rock pool. Grabbing a canteen from his bag, he scooped out some of the water and returned to Ginny. Holding it up in front of her face, he muttered, "Pureilioclearis," and grinned when the canteen turned blue. He then repeated the charm, aiming it at the pool. Ginny watched in amazment as it glowed even a brighter blue.

"What did you just do?" asked Ginny, worried that perhaps he had transfigured the water into thousands of live worms. 

"I purified the water. It's a nifty little charm a back-packer in Spain taught me." 

Ginny looked at his face closely, looking for signs that he was lying. When none became apparent, she asked in an amazed voice, "So you really did back-pack!?" 

"Yes?" Draco answered, staring at her strangely, "What? Did you think I was making it up?" 

"Well…" 

"Stupid as well as poor, I see." 

"Shut your trap, ferret boy." 

In a sudden movement, Draco picked up an unsuspecting Ginny and chucked her into the water. 

She remerged, spluttering and helplessly flapping her arms in dismay. 

"You, prat" She screeched, flailing wildly, "I can't swim!" 

She then disappeared under the water, and Draco started to get seriously worried. Its not that he seriously objected to Ginny drowning, (sure, it might be sad, but one less Weasley would never hurt anyone, right?) but losing your personal assistant in the middle of a business trip was never a good thing. 

"Weasley?" he shouted, hopping down to the rock where she had disappeared, "Virginia!" 

She reemerged coughing and cried, "Please! Give me a hand!" 

Draco did so, stretching out with all his might. Finally he felt their hands collide, and with relief tried to pull her out of the water. 

It was really a pity how much he trusted her. 

Draco found himself being pulled into the ice-cold water, and as it surrounded him completely, only one thing was running through his head. 

_Dam that Weasley. Dam her to hell._

When he finally emerged, he noticed she had pulled herself up onto the bank. Following her lead, he hoisted himself up from the water and settled down into the sand. A sudden movement from the corner of his eye captured his attention and as he turned he was faced with a scene that made his mouth run dry. 

Ginny was standing on the bank, peeling off her wet clothes. Lowering his head to his arms, Draco tried to pretend he wasn't watching. What the devil was the mad woman doing? He supposed the water might actually be contaminated and his charm completely faulty. 

It wasn't until her shirt was off, shorts discarded and one Draco seriously hot and bothered, that her true intentions became clear. She was simply ridding herself of her wet clothes in order to swim in an actual swimsuit. 

And what a swimsuit it was. It wasn't particularly revealing, being a blue lycra full piece with a basic scoop neck, but the way it hugged her every curve, showing off her delicious body to the maximum. Draco had always wondered what she had going for her under those smart little suits and tailor cut robes, and now that he knew, he doubted anything else would ever capture his attention again. 

"What are you staring at?" came Ginny's indignant voice from far off. 

"Your body," Draco answered curtly, only the slightest bit put out by the fact that she had caught him. "Quite impressive really…who would have guessed that the littlest weasel had so much potential?" 

Ginny shot him a dirty look, and then strolled into the water, hugging her arms over her chest. 

Draco decided that this was far too much of an opportunity to pass up, and quickly stripped down into his blue swimming trunks. He could out-swim Ginny any day. 

"Coming in? Or is it too cold for you?" she taunted from far out in the pool. 

"You wish!" he cried, as he hastily swam out to wear she was treading water, and tried hard not to breathe too heavily. 

"Oh dear," Ginny taunted, "did the big bad swim, tire poor 'ickle Drakie out?" 

"One of these days that little mouth of yours is going to get you into trouble." 

"Don't you worry about my mouth. It's certainly had its share of trouble in its time." 

"I'd bet," Draco smirked, imagining the escapades of her dainty little lips. 

Suddenly an evil plan struck him, and before Ginny even had time to blink, he had disappeared under the water, in one smooth liquid movement. 

"Draco?" she called nervously, looking around for air bubbles, "Draco?" 

It took a few more moments before she really started to panic…how long could people hold their breath for anyway? 

_If he dies, I am so busted…imagine that, keeping my job only to lose it again, what- AUGH!_

And Ginny disappeared under the water. 

After Draco had submerged, he had swum around silently for a while, contemplating his next move. Finally he spotted the pale ankle, kicking away furiously against the murky green water. He waited a few extra seconds, just to get her that tiny bit more concerned, then struck. 

Grabbing her ankle, he tugged her under the water and watched with satisfied amusement as she began her struggle. As her body came more into view, a second part of the plan seemed to catch up to the first part, by hitting him quickly. 

Pretending to dunk her further under the water, Draco reached out and roughly grabbed her shoulders. While she was distracted with freeing herself, he slowly lowered his hand until it was resting on her left breast. Feeling another wave of courage, he gave an experimental squeeze. 

Whether it was because of pure lust, or perhaps because he had been under the water for a rough twenty seconds, a sudden urge for air rushed into Draco, propelling him to the surface, the amorous encounter with Ginny's body almost blocked from his mind. 

It wasn't until he had reached the surface that he observed the true effects of his actions on Ginny. She was breathing heavily and her eyes were wide open, showing her large brown eyes to there full extent. 

"What was that?" she whispered, half furiously. 

"What?" he answered noncommittally. 

"You know very well, w_hat_" Ginny shot back, volume rising. 

"No I don't." 

"_Gah!"_

"Calm down there Gin-Gin." 

"Don't. Call. Me. That." 

"Sorry Ginny-kins." 

"My name is Virginia!" 

"Virginia or Virgin?" 

"Why you!" Ginny cried, launching herself onto Draco, which wasn't a wise move, judging by the fact that he was already extremely turned on. Grabbing her by the arms, before she could do any major damage, Draco held her at arms distance and stared down at her, blazing eyes and all. 

"You need to stop getting so worked up." 

"What do you expect me to do, you stupid rat!" 

"I'm not sure," Draco muttered, eyes fixed firmly on her plump lips, sticking out in an unmistakable pout. "Why don't you just take it like a normal girl?" 

"Normal girl! Normal I'll have you--" 

But she got no further. 

Draco had crushed his lips down upon her mouth, pulling her into a dizzying kiss, that was a strange mixture of water, air, lust, passion, hate and a sudden yearning that hadn't quite existed before. 


	10. Of reflecting, mosaics and bathrobes

**_Fic:_**_ Normality_

**_Author:_**_ Cessa_

**_Disclaimer:_**_ Everything you recognize belongs to JK Rowlings…the only thing that's mine is the plot and several random characters… _

**_Rated: _**R_ for adult themes and language._

_A/N: Thank to absolutely everyone who reviewed! Seriously! Every review encourages me to write! I' m also very,very,very sorry that this chapter is so late. There is no excuse, aside from the fact that lately I've been swamped! Also, any Hermione/Draco or Hermione/Ron shippers out there please take a look at my fic, "Addicted to Love"…It's my favorite fic so far, because It's based on the fantabulous movie! I also use the words, "A paradigm of uncertainty", which is also the title of Lori's amazing fic. I suggest you all check it out (and yes, there is a little Ginny/Draco action later in the series!) Also, look out for the Great Gatsby link…even though Myrtle is NOTHING like what I've portrayed her as!****_

**Chapter 11**

"Draco had crushed his lips down upon her mouth, pulling her into a dizzying kiss, that was a strange mixture of water, air, lust, passion, hate and a sudden yearning that hadn't quite existed before."

Ginny thrashed around in her sleep, feeling repeatedly the glorious sensation of Draco's lips on her own…

_Soft._

_Sweet. _

_Need._

And then as if her body sensed the wrongness of this scenario, she snapped awake, sitting upright and crashing her head on the wooden headboard. Groaning, it took Ginny a second to remember who she was, and what she had been dreaming of. Immediately she felt a sudden sensation of guilt and horror as everything clicked into place.

_I kissed Draco Malfoy. I kissed the man that is born into the clan that has fought against my own family for generations. I am _so _screwed._

Ginny didn't know how it had happened. One moment they had been fighting, thrashing around the crystal water and enjoying the bright sunlight. The next second they had been making out. Something so wrong, that just felt so right.

Struggling over to the ceramic hand basin, Ginny tried to beat down the new feeling that had rushed into her system. Embarrassment. Vaguely she wondered how Draco was feeling right now. Was he as mortified as she was? Did he feel the same guilt, the same agony…the same _lust?_

Little did she know that there was somebody else awake at that very moment. Somebody with the same regret, and somebody with the same desire.

Stupid.

_Stupid._

_Stupid._

Draco chanted in his head, as he stared emotionlessly at the brightly coloured mosaic across from his bed. This mosaic sickened him with its bright multicolour and cheerful image of a fruit bowl. Fruit was the last thing he wanted to care about… He had made a mistake, a terrible, huge mistake.

He wasn't supposed to kiss her. Oh no… he was meant to beat her, insult her, yell at her until she was nothing more than a quivering heap…

_Shit!_

The thought of Ginny quivering had spun him into a new arousal. Why did he feel this way about her? There was only one woman in the world that could frustrate him, anger him and throw him into such a state of desire that it was impossible to leave unsatisfied. Until now.

_Why!_

It wasn't fair that she could waltz about without a care in the world, happily donning her sexy swimsuits and flaming hair. It wasn't fair that he had to suffer while she endured no regret. What was it to her that they had kissed? She wasn't the one with the psychopath father and upper class family. She was only a Weasley.

Life wasn't fair.

Why had he kissed her anyway? Why had he felt the compulsion to sacrifice himself on the alter of dignity in such an absurd way. It made no sense and it was driving Draco insane. Sure, she had looked pretty and all with her mermaid appeal and creamy complexion…but she was nothing special. She had freckles for Merlins sake! Freckles!

The trip back from the pool had been awkward. As soon as they had broken apart, Ginny had swam and scrambled out, trying vainly to escape any embarrassment. They had dressed in silence, neither party mentioning the previous affair as they scrambled through the bush and into the weather beaten jeep. Once they had reached the hotel, Ginny had ran to their room, avoiding Draco's eyes as he handed the keys back to the curious receptionist. They had then both gone to bed, without saying a single word. 

Morning was rising, however, and neither could stay silent for much longer. Not when they were expected to spend days in a car together.

Dressing was hard for Draco. He seemed to have forgotten which arm went where. Eventually he managed to pull on a crisp, blue shirt and black trousers, but rest assured, this was no easy task. Every single button that he did up was scrutinised and examined, as he imagined a certain redhead undoing the same buttons. He wasn't sure where this lust had come from. Did it only take one kiss before someone could be roped into a paradigm of uncertainty that seemed to last forever?

Unfortunately for Draco (and his untamed imagination) he was required to take a shower. A shower in the room that was attached to a certain somebodies door. A certain somebody that Draco was trying very hard to avoid…

Squaring his shoulders, Draco decided to take it like a man. With a determined stride, he walked towards the bathroom door and pulled it open. 

Only to run straight into a towel clad Virginia Weasley.

Draco wasn't sure who was more embarrassed, himself of the poor girl, blushing as she cowered on the blue, plaid bathmat.

Trying oddly enough, to be a gentleman, Draco looked away and pretended to study the different coloured soaps in their display against the creamy walls. Everything stationary in the bathroom was white, making any object of multicolour stand out in a sharp contrast. Miss Weasley included. Soon enough his eyes drifted back to her. She seemed to have frozen…as if it would all go away if she stood still enough. Of course, in this stationary state, Draco could fully view her delicate shoulders and sweetly freckled skin.

"Excuse me Malfoy." She finally muttered quietly, heading slowly for the door.

Draco watched as she brushed past him and as her soft skin came in contact with his bare arms, he felt something happen. Something very embarrassing. Another part of him was most certainly noticing the innocent girl, and this something wasn't likely to go away. In a sudden moment of pure lust, he moved over slightly so she was unable to exit.

"Excuse me!" She repeated with more force, trying to push past him.

"Do you really want to leave?" Draco asked huskily as he watched, memorized as a reddish curl escaped her messy ponytail.

"Yes…" she muttered unconvincingly, looking hastily at the door. "Please…let me go, this isn't right."

But Malfoy couldn't. 

Weasley or not, she excited him more then any girl he had ever met, especially now that in her haste to leave her towel had slipped, displaying more of her creamy flesh in an area that had until now remained covered. Draco watched as she breathed in, her slight chest expanding, pushing forward her figure. His need only grew stronger. 

Leaning toward her, he covered the distance between them in one large step. Ginny stared up at him under terrified eyes, one shaking hand feebly clutching at the soft terrycloth that had become her only protection.

Draco hesitated for a moment, drinking in her angular face and rose stained cheeks. Finally, and hesitantly, he brought his lips down, relishing in the moment where the connection almost sent him reeling.

Her lips were surprisingly dry, but this didn't turn him off. Quite the opposite. It was an unusual sensation as the rough texture massaged against his own softer lips sending vibrations through his veins. Every sense was magnified as the feeling of elation stretched from his blonde hair to the tips of his toes. 

The kiss wasn't perfect, but it was right. Virginia had obviously been suffering with an amateur partner for quite some time, and Draco smile wryly at her sweet attempts to move her mouth against him in the right direction. Not that it was bad…with the right partner this girl would obviously work miracles. And Draco was the right partner.

Pulling her closer to him, Draco dared risking the border and carefully opened his mouth, letting his tongue snake past her lips that opened obligingly. She let out a small whimper. Draco had never been more turned on. Obviously she was enjoying his attentions and becoming more confident. Draco didn't object at all as she cautiously moved a slender hand to rest lightly on his shoulder…not at all.

Every last bit of the bathroom had faded into insignificant colours. Who cared if the world ended? Who cared if the hotel came crashing down?

Ginny' rough lips and her fiery persona were all that mattered.

Growling, Draco let the kiss become deeper. Pushing Ginny against the wall he started to unleash his frustrations and his anger. He hated her, oh yes, did he ever…but he couldn't deny the chemistry. He felt like someone had subjected him to a fiery curse. She was hot…almost to hot to handle.

Bringing his hand up Draco stared to massage Ginny's shoulders, tracing around her protruding collarbones. This did nothing to satisfy him however, so he began to trace lower and lower. So his hand was resting on her stomach then rising to loosen her towel…

Almost as if the skin-on-skin contact had electrified her, Ginny pushed Malfoy roughly away, reaching up to finger her swollen lips softy.

"This is wrong." She said softly, glancing up at Draco under heavily hooded eyes. Draco would've been able to see the desire in them from a mile off.

Shooting her a sly grin, he brought a large hand up to rest on her cheek.

"But it feels so right."

"What feels good isn't always the best choice…" Ginny trailed off, staring to edge out from Draco. "You're my Boss…can' you see how wrong this actually is? I could sue you for this!"

Draco grinned again, as he reached out and grabbed her shoulder, "not if it's consensual."

Ginny glared as her temper fired up once more.

"If you would kindly remove yourself so I might get up."

"Sure you don't want to get off?"

Ginny aimed a punch that Malfoy deftly avoided.

"Your disgusting!" she cried, "Do you EVER think about anything other then sex?!"

Draco pretended to think for a moment before replying, "not usually, but at the moment I'm making an exception. What? Did you think that perhaps YOU might have turned me on?"

Ginny stared at her long and hard before answering in a sarcastic tone that had taken years to perfect, "no Draco, I didn't think that I turned you on…but let me tell you, I can as sure as hell feel it."

Draco had the decency to look abashed. He had forgotten his friend down south. Frowning, he tried to think of a suitable comeback.

"Well…how'd you know that its you turning me on? I could just be horny!"

"Well go find yourself a bloody prostitute!"

Ginny had expected the words to bounce of Draco like rain off a duck. She had expected a witty comeback or a sarcastic remark. What she didn't expect was Draco turning white and staring at her as if she had just killed his mother in front of him.

"Malfoy?" she asked worriedly, taking a step away as his eyes filled with rage, swirling in depths of confusion. "Are you alright?"

He stared at her with so much grief, so much pain and so much hatred that she took another step back as if he had struck her. Finally after a least a minute of uncertainty he looked away. And then he spoke.

"Get out."

"Its my bathroom as - "

"I said GET OUT!" Draco roared, sending shivers down Ginny's spine.

And so she left.

*   *   *   *   *

Neither Draco nor Ginny were sorry to leave to hotel. Both felt that it had opened something inside of them – something that was almost impossible to access…a mine site with barriers for miles around. Any way you expressed it, it was all the same. They were terrified.

After booking out that morning they had caught a bus to an old car rental shop with more dust then cars, only to discover that they had been mislead in the advertising. Finding none of the vehicles satisfactory, Draco insisted in dragging Ginny around several more 'car yards' until he had found his choice, an old yellow Ute with a huge tray.

"She's a beauty, ain't she?" crowed the old man who owned the yard as he patted the corner of the Ute.

That, thought Ginny, was a matter of Opinion. The car didn't look at all spectacular to her. Just a big yellow thing that would take up a hell of a lot of petrol. Draco, however, was standing enraptured as he slowly ran a hand down the side of the tray, feeling the silver lining with a surprisingly real smile pasted on him browning face.

"That's for sure," he agreed pleasantly, as he continued to study the car.

Ginny rolled her eyes mechanically as she strolled towards the building, anxious to get the paperwork out of the way so they could just leave. Maybe when they were on the road they could wake up a bit. Ever since this morning both Draco and Ginny had pretty much been pretending. It was like they had been programmed for a duty, and that duty they would for fill.

Ginny wouldn't lie, she was as turned on by Malfoy as he was by her. Ever since he had come waltzing into her office she had felt something…but there was nothing she could do. It wasn't right…and besides, Draco was the biggest prick she had ever come in contact with. Regardless of his good looks…

The door to the small office creaked as Ginny pushed it open. Mediocre was the first word that popped into her head as she stared around the classic scene. It was completely grey with its pale carpet and dingy looking walls. Ugly looking filing cabinets were showed roughly against the walls and a clinkity old fan whirled away over her head.

 "Can I help you?" A monotone voice asked softly.

Ginny spun around and was greeted by the sight of a lady sitting at a plain desk. She matched the décor perfectly with her faded skin and strange hair that looked as if it had been blue-rinsed one to many times.

"Yes…" Ginny trailed off awkwardly and fidgeted before continuing, "My partner is looking at that yellow Ute over there. I was wondering about the price of hiring it to travel to Broome? It would of course be then delivered to your sister shop." 

 The Lady didn't bother to ask any more questions, and left Ginny to her own devices as she started to flick through a very old, very musty looking grey book.

"It will cost you two thousand, would you like to pay in cash of credit?" The woman finally asked.

"Credit?" Ginny replied, thoroughly confused.

"Yes, credit." The woman answered in a voice that might have been incredulous. She looked up for the first time displaying to Ginny a rather boring set of grey/blue eyes.

"Cash…" Ginny tried, wondering what the hell credit was. Draco sure as hell had some explaining to do.

"Right then. I'll need you to make a deposit of one thousand, and then once you have reached your destination we will require the rest of the money. Fill out this."

She shoved a form at Ginny then retreated back to her silence.

Five minutes and a whole lot of meaningless questions later, Ginny quietly handed the form to her in exchange for a glittering key with a gaudy key ring in the same shade of the car. It presented a surreal contrast with the rest of the dull office…a sort of wake up call.

Not bothering to say thanks, Ginny hurried out of the squeaky glass.

"That was quick." Draco commented dryly as she handed him the keys.

"Myrtle is very efficient!" said the manager proudly thrusting out his chest. "I 'reckon we make a pretty good couple."

"Yes," Ginny said with a forced smile, "she's charming. Now Mr. Malfoy, I think we should be heading off if we want to stay on schedule."

"Right." Said Draco, looking at the car with an eager grin on his face. "Thanks again Mr. Wilson."

Ginny ignored the both of them and swung herself up into the passenger seat. The inside of the cab was surprisingly clean; with polished leather seats and a dust free dashboard…Ginny was quite impressed. Especially when she opened the glove box to discover several packets of complementary mints, and a brand new chapstick. Ginny was especially grateful for the chapstick, her lips had been shocking as of late.

A thud next to her told her that Draco had just jumped in, as well as the comforting but raw sound of the ignition. Soon they were out of the dusty gates and down through the twisty country roads filled with cattle and sheep. Ginny could hardly believe that she had only yesterday been swimming in a tropical paradise…nothing in this country seemed to fit together. Nothing. Risking a sidewards glance, Ginny was amazed to see a satisfied look on Draco's face as he effortlessly changed the gears.

"How did you learn to drive like that?" Ginny asked curiously as he switched smoothly into second to take a sharp bend. He was quiet for quite some time, and Ginny was afraid that he might refuse to answer. However, soon his voice spoke quietly, answering her question as if he didn't want her to hear.

"My father taught me."

"Why?"

"I don't know. He never told me. The summer after my seventeenth birthday…I don't know."

He looked shocked at himself for revealing so much, and Ginny was surprised at the lack of bite in his voice. Draco seemed to have so many personalities…she wondered whether she would ever be able to figure them out…

_Not that I'd want to..._she quickly reprimanded herself._ Not that I'd want to at all._

 She focused her attentions back to the dirt road and amused herself by watching the small rocks that jumped up to make sort little 'plinks' on the side of the car.

Draco drove on, appreciating the subtle acceleration that the car possessed. He wished he had the same speed. The same power moving through his veins. Every now and again he would glance over to his left at the slender redhead seated next to him. He wanted to kiss her again. She was fascinated by something, and this fascinated him. He knew that he should be focusing on his driving, but the questions she was asking... He had never met somebody who didn't care about him that asked questions like they wanted to protect him. It confused him.

He wished that he could make it all about sex. Sex was the easy way out with its ever-going lust and unforgettable adrenalin. Sex meant no thinking, no analyzing. He would have liked to bed Ginny and be over it, but what really disturbed him was that he knew that would not be possible.

It was like the second they stepped into this wide, baron country, something had changed. His whole attitude towards her and his demeanor was different. He had kissed her yesterday because he had felt something. Something more then lust. And that something disturbed him. Maybe that was why he was behaving so horribly towards her maybe…

"Look!" Ginny suddenly cried, capturing his attention.

"What?" Draco asked urgently, glancing around for hidden dangers.

"It's a wallaby!" Ginny giggled, pressing her face up to the glass. She looked like a six year old girl…so naïve, so ignorant.

Draco sighed, "don't yell unless it's something important! You scared the shit out of me!"

"Sorry," Ginny replied, not sounding the least bit apologetic, "But did you see the Wallaby! It was gorgeous…do you think we'll see more? Maybe even a Koala?"

"A what?"

"A Koala! Its like a bear…except a marsupial…at its cuddly and mmm…"

Draco snorted and focused on a difficult patch in the road.

"If you're this enraptured by just a weird cross-bred bunny, I hate to think what you're going to be like when I explain to you what we're doing in Broome."

"What!"

"Well…."

"Malfoy!" Ginny chorused, "Just tell me!"

Draco paused for a moment to reflect. He was flirting. With a Weasley. He was flirting with Ginny. Would the world end in a few minutes? Draco glanced briefly upwards to calculate if there were any speeding meteorites about. 

Nothing killed him and he decided it was safe to continue. What was a little harmless thing like this going to do anyway? 

"Hmmm…" He murmured, pretending to think deeply.

Ginny glowered at him from across the car, before lighting up suddenly with a spectacular idea.

"Malfoy?" she asked innocently.

"Yes Virginia-of-my-heart?"

"Are we there yet?" 

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"Damn it! I just told you!"

"Are we there yet?"

"What the fuck are you playing at?"

"Are we there yet?"

"This is so not funny."

"Are-"

But Draco had reached his limit.

Ginny was now the proud owner of one very powerful silencing curse. 

Furiously she mouthed all sorts of obscenities at Draco, who politely ignored her and hummed merrily. This new Ginny was one he could certainly get used to…besides; she was ultra hot when she was mad!

Ginny finally gave up struggling against the curse, and eventually sat with crossed arms and a very huffy attitude. Draco grinned at her sweetly, before looking up at a neon sign posted next to the road and grinning broadly.

"Looks like we're here Ginny-kins!"

Ginny mouthed something that might have sounded like…

  _"Shutup-you-obnoxious-prat-I-wish-you-would-eat-a-blast-ended...GAH-die-die-die-take-this-OFF-of-me-right-now-you-RUDE..."_

 Of course, she was silenced, so we will never really know…__

 __


	11. Of coinflippage, Harry and one very unco...

**_Fic: Normality_**

**_Author: Cessa_**

**_Disclaimer: Everything you recognize belongs to JK Rowlings…the only thing that's mine is the plot and several random characters… _**

**_Rated: _****R_ for adult themes and language._**

**_A/N: Oh gosh! The amount of reviews for the last chapter got me into story telling gear right away! First off, last chapter took so long because I had several 3000-word essays due. Needles to say….I was swamped. But you guys just lifted me right up! Go team reviewers! The Fifth Book! Tonks! New best friend!_**__

_Ginny finally gave up struggling against the curse, and eventually sat with crossed arms and a very huffy attitude. Draco grinned at her sweetly, before looking up at a neon sign posted next to the road and grinning broadly._

_"Looks like we're here Ginny-kins!"_

_Ginny mouthed something that might have sounded like…_

_  "Shutup-you-obnoxious-prat-I-wish-you-would-eat-a-blast-ended...GAH-die-die-die-take-this-OFF-of-me-right-now-you-RUDE..."_

_ Of course, she was silenced, so we will never really know…_

   After Draco had parked his car in the rather empty car park, he turned to Ginny and rather lazily removed the silencing charm with a swift flick of his wand.

Almost immediately a torrent of furious words came forward, and Draco was practically forced back in his chair by the absolute power of it all. Fortunately for Draco, Ginny was so loud, and so angry that the words were pretty much unintelligible. This tirade continued for another 5 minutes and eventually Draco found himself tapping his fingernails on the leather seat and humming tunelessly to himself.

"And…and!" 

Finally Ginny had run out of things to say.

"And what?" Draco prompted lazily, unloading himself from the car and slamming his door before Ginny had a chance to answer. Ginny followed suit, glaring resentfully at Draco's broad and rather attractive back. Not for the first time she found herself entertaining thoughts about leaping onto him and ripping off all his clothes and…

_Wait a second!_

Ginny stopped her mind with resolve and scampered after Draco who was heading for a dingy looking office. She also tried to stop her mind from considering Draco's back, instead focusing on how much she hated him. Yes. Hate. 

"Are you alright?" Draco called back over his shoulder after seeing how much Ginny was lagging behind.

"Fine," muttered Ginny sulkily, after having another 'back emergency' (i.e. the phobia of longing to jump Draco). Jogging slightly she managed to catch up and she was right beside him when he swung open the brass plated door. 

Now, as the entire motel had looked rather dingy and dirty, Ginny had fully expected the interior of the office to reflect the outside. Bracing herself for dirty desks and rotting pot plants, Ginny let out an amazed gasp. Instead of the tatty place that she had been expecting, she found a large circular room with a high ceiling and red carpeting. Gold plated polished wood adorned every possible surface and large tropical plants with glittering lights stood in every corner. In fact, the room was very similar to the 5 star hotels that they had last stayed in…

"What is this place?" Ginny asked in awe. "I can't believe that this is the 2 star dump that the sign was advertising!"

Draco smirked in a _very _infuriating sort of way. Ginny suspected that he most definitely knew something important.

"What?" She asked suspiciously, glaring at him in a way she hoped reflected her mother. 

"Its just that I find you incredibly stupid."

"_WHAT!_"

"Settle petal," Draco chuckled, glancing around, "I just meant, I can't believe you haven't figured it out yet!"

"Figured what out?" Ginny answered curiously, glancing fugitively about.

"Look around you Ginny-kins. Look at the fairies in the trees, the obvious illusion charms and the roof with its moving pictures. We're in wizards land now, Dorothy and Kansas is far behind."

Ginny looked around and a sudden realization hit her. She WAS stupid! However, she wasn't going to let Draco know this, so she turned to him with a blank look and tried to change the subject.

"Who the hell is Dorothy? And where the hell is Kansas?"

Draco sighed a huge heaving sigh, like he couldn't believe how dumb she was.

"Ever take muggle studies?"

"No?"

"Shut your dainty little mouth then."

Ginny glared at him furiously, but decided not to answer. He was WAY too frustrating.

"We'd better go book in then."

"One step ahead of you," Draco answered, pulling out his passport and his documents. 

It didn't take long to check in and Apparate up to their room following a complicated Apparation chart. The witches and wizards of the Australian community seemed nice enough as they waved merrily as Ginny and Draco strolled down their corridor. 

"Is this our room?" Ginny asked when they had finally reached the cream colored door with the wide wand scanner.

" 'Tis it," Draco responded, lazily brushing his wand through to check his identity. The door opened with a click.  

The inside of the room was much the same as any other hotel room, aside from a few added magical touches. Apparation maps lay scattered about, as well as a beginner Portkey packet. Ginny also noticed the absence of the typical hotel room bible, and television set. 

Two doors were set on either side of the room and Ginny eagerly hurried towards them, hoping to find a satisfactory second bedroom on the other side. The first door contained a bathroom, with a large sunken in bath that reminded Ginny of being a prefect. Leaving the bathroom she tried the other door and found a cupboard.

"Malfoy?" she called wearily from inside the cupboard.

"You called?" He answered, lugging some luggage (A/N no pun intended!) past Ginny and into the cupboard. Ginny watched him suspiciously for a while and then remembered the original question.

"Did the Hotel give us the wrong room? Maybe it's my imagination, but why the hell is their only one bed?"

Draco seemed suddenly very interested in one of the magically strengthened coat hangers.

"Hem, hem." Ginny coughed to capture his attention (A/N ugh…don't we all hate Umbridge).

Draco sighed and slowly recovered himself from the cupboard and into the light.

"No, they didn't give us the wrong room. They were all booked out and this was the only place I could get."

Ginny stared at him in disbelief, before launching into a furious tirade that pretty much told Draco how she felt about sharing a room with him. To cut a long speech short, lets just conclude that the words she used were not nice. Not nice at all!

"Look," replied Draco once he could get a word in edgewise, "I'm sorry, but there was nothing else. We were lucky even to get this room. From the way the receptionist was behaving, I thought we would be holed up in a broom closet. Would that have been better for you?"

"I refuse to share a bed with you. You know that, don't you?"

"Yes, I figured out as much. Don't worry, the hotel is providing a mattress."

Ginny narrowed her eyes and poked a finger into Draco's chest. "If you think that I'm going to sleep on a _mattress, _you have another thing coming…"

"Don't look at me that way!" Replied Draco, "I'm a Malfoy!"

"So?"

"Malfoy's never have, and never will, sleep 4 inches away from the floor. Its just not a done thing…maybe I could pay you?" He smiled at her hopefully and in her silence he reached for his money pouch.

"Don't even think about it!" Ginny growled, snatching away his hand before it could even get close. "No amount of money will compensate for the tragically sore back that will strike if I sleep on that…_thing! _And besides, I have an even better idea…"

"And what might that be?" Draco asked, as he studied his nails intently. "Surely a _Weasley _isn't the best at creating life-saving ideas."

"This won't save someone's life…In fact, it will probably make one of ours worse."

"Care to share?"

"See this Galleon?" Asked Ginny, holding out the coin with a victorious smile present on her face.

"Well done, Ginny! You've learnt what money is! _Bravo! _This is an accomplishment, especially when one takes into account the origins of your childhood."

"Look," said Ginny, "if you're going to be snide, this thing is never going to get done."

Malfoy glared like a sullen child and shut his mouth.

"What I'm going to do," added Ginny, "is chuck this coin into the air."

"Better hold onto it…Weasley's seem to have a repelling affect on gold…"

Ginny silenced him with a glare that would've done her mother proud, and turned back to the task at hand. "Anyway, I will flip this coin and you're going to yell out 'Heads' or 'Tails' before it hits the ground."

Malfoy looked as if he might want to say something, but Ginny soon quenched the need with another stifling glare.

"This side of the coin – i.e. the side with the face of Fudge, is heads. This side, the one with the Newt, is tails. Depending on what you call, we decide who gets the bed. Any questions?"

"Can we have a practice round?" Draco asked timidly, looking as if he wanted to avoid any mean looking faces.

"For sure," replied Ginny as she tossed the coin high into the air.

It took another four goes for Draco to get the trick perfectly, and finally they were ready to start.

"Heads!" Called Malfoy.

"Tails!" Screamed Ginny.

The coin landed innocently next to the Persian rug that decorated the floor, and both Draco and Ginny craned their necks forward to see who had won.

"No!" Cried Malfoy dejectedly.

"Yes!" Cried Ginny victoriously.

And so it was decided that for the first time in Malfoy history, a member of the family would be sleeping exactly four inches away from the floor.

*

Harry paced around his flat, nervously checking to see if the kettle had boiled. It was now three days since Ginny had left for Australia, and the suspense was driving him insane.

"I should've stopped him. What did she have to go!" he cried to himself, as steam started to rise from the kitchen.

Over and over he had thought about Ginny. About how she was thousands of miles away with only the most arrogant prat to keep her company…how she was probably feeling alone…how she was so defenseless…

"Shit!" Harry cursed as he crunched his toe into the bathroom door. This wasn't the first time he had managed to hurt himself while patrolling his unit. Every bit of furniture he owned was now becoming an occupational hazard. His broomstick included.

With the Quiddich season over, Harry had nothing to distract him from Ginny's absence…it was made even worse by the fact that her family had no idea of her troubles. Twice now, Harry had been made to think of fake stories to satisfy Mrs. Weasley's curiosity over her littlest daughter, and Ron was even worse. Harry had never really kept anything important away from Ron, and now it seemed everything was coming crashing down.

All because of Ginny.

He wasn't she where this fascination with the youngest Weasley child had sprung. He had always known Ginny as a friend, or as the girl with the colorful collection of boyfriends. Truthfully, he had been so busy with Cho, and then Hannah Abbot and then…well, he had never really noticed her in that way.

Until now.

Her laugh…her smile…her face…they were all intoxicating, and like the slowest poison, Harry was surely drowning. 

A sudden knock brought him back to reality, away from the thoughts of his red headed nymph. Harry walked quickly across his sea of blue/green carpet and swung open the door.

"Hi, Harry," murmured Hermione and she pushed past him into the living room.

"Hermione…" replied Harry, at a loss for words, "this is a surprise…what can I do for you?"

"What can't you do," muttered Hermione, tumbling down into her favorite of Harry's chairs, a large leather armchair. For the first time Harry noticed she was crying. He quickly strode over to the chair and gently pulled her into a hug.

"What's up Herm?" Harry asked gently, using his own special nickname for her. Ron often called her 'Mione, but changed it with a romantic twist, so it sounded as if he was calling her 'my own.'

"Nothing…"

Harry raised an eyebrow at her and waited until she finally decided to spill.

"Its just…"

"Yes?"

"Its just Ron is mad at me and I don't know what to do…" words tumbled from Hermione's mouth like an enthusiastic fountain as she finally revealed the source of her anxiety.

Harry muttered something about Ron being a complete berk, and then wrapped his arms around Hermione again, trying his hardest to think of something to say.

"Why is he mad?" he finally asked.

"Its about Ginny…"

*

Draco rolled around on the uncomfortable straw mattress, trying to find an angle that suited his shape. It seemed pretty much impossible to find a satisfactory position, and the little lumps covering his makeshift bed were driving him crazy. Ginny wasn't exactly helping either, what with her little contented noises and her deep sleep.

Stupid little Weasel…should've never listened to her stupid, fucking coin game. Thinks she's so smart…

But thinking negative thoughts weren't really helping matters in the slightest, and Draco had a horrible feeling that the situation would only get worse before it got better.

Ginny rolled over in slumber, and Draco distinctly heard a happy sounding murmur…and that just pushed him over the edge. 

He had been lying on the bumpy mattress for almost four hours. Nothing he could think about was distracting him from the discomfort, and fury was pumping through his veins at the unfairness of the situation.

How he wanted to chuck that little red head out of her sleepy haven…how he wanted to…but he wouldn't.

Glancing over at Ginny again, he was discontented to note that she barely took up a quarter of the king sized bed. There was certainly room for one more…

Rolling over he hit his hip on a random piece of metal spring. And that was the last straw.

Standing up quietly, Draco tiptoed towards the bed. Ginny let out a little murmur and he froze…but she slept on. Carefully, Draco lifted up the edge of the bed linen and quick as a flash he slipped under the covers.

Ginny barely moved.

Settling in, Draco let out a tremendous sigh. This was the life…a big bed, cozy covers…what more could he ask for?

Ginny muttered something in her sleep then almost as if she sensed Draco, she rolled over, right up close to him. Draco barely moved, terrified that she would wake up and kick him out. The bed was so warm and she was so warm…she smelt so good when she was this close to him…like a strange mixture of Vanilla essence and fresh cinnamon. She smelt safe. Movement tilted the bed again and Draco snuggled in ready for a good nights sleep…

Ginny rolled over and flung her leg around him, murmuring something unintelligible and extremely sexy under her breath.

Ok, maybe not.

*

Draco got up early the next morning, exhausted from a complete lack of sleep. Ginny had barely budged the entire night, except from when she snuggled into him and…

But Draco was hungry, and breakfast was the only option.

Ginny soon joined him and they walked down to the large and airy breakfast room. The food was a buffet, and both chose to take their selections outside to sit at a cute table next the large, aquamarine pool. 

Soon the morning owls came flooding in, and Draco was amazed when a large barn owl landed next to his plate. No one he knew would be owling him now…maybe there was something wrong with Spellbound. Ripping open the letter he carefully scanned the page, then without a word jumped up and sped from the room like a bat out of hell.

Curious, Ginny picked up the page and let her eyes wander…

_My dearest Mr. Malfoy,_

_Hey there, sweetie, bet you weren't expecting to hear from me anytime soon. The thing is darling, I've decided that what I did was wrong…very wrong, and my love for you is creating so many new emotions each day. Please give me a second chance, baby; I know our love can withstand the most vicious storms._

_I'm coming to find you, babe._

_Be prepared._

_Kitty._

**_CLIFFIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_**


	12. of sickness, sexiness and Kitty

**_Fic: _****Normality**

**_Author: _****Cessa**

**_Disclaimer: _****Everything you recognize belongs to JK Rowlings…the only thing that's mine is the plot and several random characters… **

**_Rated: _****R for adult themes and language_._**

**_A/N: _****Hey guys, this chapter was out much quicker then the last one, so yes, I hope that that's cool. I'm really sorry about the lateness of last chapter, but I've just been swamped lately. I've had soooooooo much homework and even more assessments, but your reviews have kept me writing this fic, and I have to say the amount I got for last chapter just blew me away. I would like to say thank to every single person, and I'm just going to take some time to address some issues that you guys are having.**

**_J: Happy Birthday! Mwahaha…yes, I'm the evil keep everyone up dude. Thanks for the long review, it made me get up and write!_**

**_eedoe: Actually I was considering having an alternate ending to give Ginny a chance with everyone…but I'm not telling who gets her because that's a surprise._**

**_Ferggirl99: haha…lets just say that Ginny has had to use sleep potion for quite awhile now…lets say since her first year…_**

**_Nyx: You know how they say 'Know thy enemy…" and "keep your friends close and your enemies even closer' I sort of went by that. I see your point, I was worried about putting that in, but I figure to be a successful sadistic muggle hater, Draco has to know what to hate._**

****

**_"Its just Ron is mad at me and I don't know what to do…" words tumbled from Hermione's mouth like an enthusiastic fountain as she finally revealed the source of her anxiety._**

**_Harry muttered something about Ron being a complete berk, and then wrapped his arms around Hermione again, trying his hardest to think of something to say._**

**_"Why is he mad?" he finally asked._**

"Its about Ginny…" 

"What is it Hermione!" Harry cried anxiously, shaking his friends shoulders, "If it's about Ginny I _have _to know!"

Hermione let out a deep shuddering sob and tensed her body in the chair. 

"I don't know if it's right for me to tell you…" she finally whispered in a broken voice. 

"Please!" Harry cried, dropping to his knees and begging with all his heart. Hermione seemed to take pity, then glanced around to 

check that nobody was watching or listening.

"Please don't tell Ron I told you…we're in enough trouble as it is."

"Shh…Do you honestly think that I would be so thoughtless?" 

"I'm sorry Harry…It's just, I figured something out…but then I found something that would be better hidden and…"

"Hermione," Harry said softy, "you're not making any sense."

Hermione let in another shuddering breath and turned to face Harry.

"I know Harry."

"You know about what?" Harry asked, perplexed.

"I know where Ginny is, and I know who she's with."

"How!" Harry practically yelled, standing up quickly sending his chair over backwards. "How do you know? It was meant to be a 

secret. Ginny made me promise not to tell anyone. How did you find out Hermione?" Another thought hit him…a much more 

terrifying one, "hold on…does Ron know?"

Hermione nodded weakly and Harry grabbed his forehead in frustration. 

"Tell me everything," he finally said, looking up helplessly. "I want to know everything."  

Hermione took another great breath and then began her tale…

"Well, I was a little surprised last week…it was strange that Ginny just decided to pack up and leave for Australia, with out so much of a reason why. Actually, her whole family was confused. We couldn't understand why she would want to visit Australia. She hates 

anything to do with dust and Australia has it in abundances. 

"Anyway, I went out to a dinner party the other night and through mutual friends both Roger and Linda (you know, Ginny's best friend) were there. So I started talking and I found out Ginny had broken up with Roger. I was also a little confused about that…I had though they were going fine…"

"They weren't" Harry cut in shortly, "he's an asshole. Continue."

"Ok, so that stuck me as strange…then I got talking to Linda and she told me something very interesting about Ginny's new boss."

Harry sighed and cut in again, "Let me guess, she told you that Malfoy was Ginny's new boss."

"Y-Yes, that's right. I was horrified of course. I didn't want that sadist bastard ordering one of my friends around. So I questioned 

Linda further. And she told me that he was making life difficult for Ginny."

"That's for sure."

"Yes, anyway, she accidentally let something slip about a business trip to Australia. Right away I started to piece together the puzzle, and then I realised that he must have made Ginny go to Australia with him."

"Smart Cookie, aren't we?" Harry replied sarcastically.

Hermione shushed him and continued.

"Anyway, I went home determined not to tell Ron. You know how rash he can be about things like this? Remember when he used 

to make Dean Thomas's life miserable in our 6th year for going out with Ginny? For all I knew Ron would go chasing her across the country."

"Well, if you were so determined not to tell Ron, how did you get in such a huge fight?"

"Look, Harry, don't get snide with me. I'm trying to tell you what happened here and you're acting as if you're 15 again."

"Want to talk 15? How bout we go back a few years and remember what our sweet Malfoy was like then. Remember Umbridge? 

Remember Malfoy watching in anticipation as I was almost given the most painful curse known? Remember how he called you a mudblood? Remember how he ruined any chances that DA had? Sure, we'll talk 15."

Hermione was now crying, and Harry felt thoroughly horrible for losing his temper.

"I'm sorry, Hermione, I'm just under a lot of stress right now."

"That's fine," Hermione said unconvincingly, "Anyway, were was I?"

"Describing Ginny's utter misery of a holiday."

"Anyway…Oh, God, this is hard." 

Harry leant over and put a protective arm around her shoulders.

"I wouldn't ask if it wasn't really important-"

"Ginny is sick!" blurted out Hermione, interrupting him. "Ginny is sick…and that's why I had to tell Ron…I had to…"

Harry felt as if the world had stopped. Ginny was sick. Something was wrong.

"What's wrong with her." He asked Hermione quietly, as the tears continued to course down her face.

"It's a condition she's had since birth," Hermione answered quietly. "It doesn't have that many symptoms, in fact it's really rare."

"But what is!" Harry cried leaping to his feet and pacing around the room, running his hands franticly through his already messy hair.

Hermione sighed heavily and went to get a drink of water. By the time she came back Harry was practically running up the walls.
    
    "It's called Sanguiseraitis, or in short Sanguis. It's a witch or wizard disease…muggle's can't get it because it's drawn to magical blood"
    
    "But what does it mean? What does it do? Is she in danger?"
    
    Hermione suddenly looked very tired.
    
    "Yes, she is in danger."
    
    Harry stood, staring at Hermione as the awful truth sunk in.
    
    "But she's in Australia!" Harry cried in anguish. "How are we supposed to know where she is, or how we can help her."
    
    "Calm down, Harry," said Hermione, leading him to his chair, "Getting mad isn't going to help Ginny. This condition she has can be monitored. Every year at around Christmas she goes into St. Mungo's to have a check-up and a blood test. Sanguis is mainly a blood condition that could be described as poisoning. Sanguis patients carry around a chemical in their blood that can spread and poison the victim. However, this is very rare, but the blood tests need to be done just to check. If worst comes to worst the patient can have a blood transplant or find a sample of clean blood that can then be made in a blood replenishing potion."
    
    Harry leaned back into his chair relived. 
    
    "So it's alright. This can be helped."
    
    "It's a little more complex," Hermione, added her lip trembling.
    
    "Why?" Harry asked, relaxation ebbing away.
    
    "Well, Ginny's condition has never actually multiplied…until now."
    
    "But we can go get her from Australia, then she can have the potion!"
    
    Hermione looked at the floor, tears streaming out from under her eyelids.
    
    "But by the time we reach her it might be to late. The condition multiplies in warm weather."
    
    Harry shook his head furiously, "It'd not to late. I'll go now. She can have my blood."
    
    At this Hermione burst into hysterical tears."
    
    "The thing is…Ginny's blood type is rare."
    
    "How rare."
    
    "Almost impossible to match."
    
    Harry slammed his hand down onto the table, and the first tears started to fall.

*

Meanwhile, on the other side of London, a mysterious force Apparated into Draco Malfoy's flat.

"Home sweet home," said a honeyed voice silkily, as its owner lit a cigarette and sauntered over to the leather sofa, kicking off her heals along the way.

"Is this the place?" came a deeper voice, as a dark man entered the room through the door. "The key was exactly where you said it would be. I had no trouble with the wards."

"That's because I'm always right," answered the other voice, in the same mysterious tone.

"Do you reckon he has anything to drink?" asked the man, "I'm parched."

The woman stood up and sashayed over to the kitchen. As she leant over to check in the liquor cupboard, dark hair fell silkily over her shoulder. Almost as if she knew the picture of desire that she was creating, the woman made extra sure to position her leg in a seductive angle.

"Yes, Draco," she murmured, "I knew you would have your brandy."

"Find any?" the man asked gruffly, his eyes glued to the woman's shapely legs, encased in smooth black nylon.

"Of _course_ I did," she straightened up slowly, holding out the bottle with its swirling amber liquid. "Draco always knew how to treat his g_uests_."

She let out a pearl of laughter. Even this was beautiful, as the sound travelled up and down in pitch, intoxicating the listener until they were completely at her mercy. 

"You're evil my dear," the man commented as he twisted off the lid.

"Not evil," she said sweetly, lowering her eyes, "I'm just a little girl who _knows_ what she wants, and _likes_ it when she gets it."

The man gave out a short burst of laughter and then lit the fire with a sweep of his dark brown wand. The flames flickered throughout the darkened apartment, sending shapes across the woman's face, as it smouldered and flickered emotions as easily as another person might smile.

"You're anything but little," he murmured to the girl, striding over and placing his hand possessively on her body.

"Uh-uh," she chorused, neatly stepping away. "Not yet sweetie, you must pay before you pleasure."

"I see your old professional life is still haunting you."

The woman let out a hiss of anger, and all her beauty seemed to fade away, leaving a hardened face, full of resentment. As soon as it appeared it was gone, leaving a perfect face, with no expression.

"So," she asked softly, yet dangerously, "I never did find out what happened to that little girl that you 'took out'. Was she given 

back to her family ruined, or did you just solve the problem in a…hmm, lets say _simple _sort of way."

"I thought I told you to forget that," the man spat out through clenched teeth. "I thought we had figured out that there was no girl."

"She was a virgin, wasn't she?" The woman continued in a singsong sort of voice. "Just like the other one."

The man spun around and tried to hit her, but the woman deftly ducked then swung her legs around in a move unlike he had ever seen. Moments later he was on the floor while she leant over him, fluttering her eyelashes innocently.

"I _didn't_ hurt a big thing like you did I?" She asked, eye's opened wide, "How _silly_ of me…I was just trying to protect my womanly interests."

"Oh, give it a rest," the man snapped, sitting up, "I forgot you know all that martial arts shit."

"Well, I would advise that you learn." She answered coolly, "that is, unless you particularly want to have damaged goods."

The man rolled his eyes, but still looked a little scared. Finally he heaved himself off the floor and walked over to the antique mirror where he looked at himself admiringly. He was tall, well built and had a dark, mysterious look about him that sent women to their knees. That is, most of them. One individual woman was now sitting on the couch and filing her nails looking nonchalant.

"Finished admiring yourself?" she asked, noticing that once again she had captured his attention.  

He rolled his eyes then remembered something.

"Did you send the letter?"

"Yes I did. As I said before, I always get things right. I'm sure my little Draco received a wonderful surprise."

"Don't you feel any guilt?" the man asked incredulously, though not without admiration.

"Would you like me to show you how little guilt I feel?" asked the woman.

The man grinned widey. He liked this game. He knew that he was under her thumb, but for some reason he found that he didn't care. He liked being her mouse as much as she appreciated being his cat.

Delicately taking his arm, the woman smiled at him. It had the same affect as a bottle of vodka. Totally intoxicated he let her lead him through the winding hallways of the penthouse.

Finally they reached the end of a corridor. A simple white door was in front of them; the only decoration was the antique golden doorknob that would've cost more than his life alone.

The woman stretched out a manicured hard and opened the door. Immediately a light switched on and the man was faced with one of the most lavish rooms he had ever imagined. 

Wide window's lead to beautiful balconies, decorated with lush vegetation and beautifully coloured flowers. Oak furniture was scattered about the room, and the highly polished wardrobe, chairs and table glittered in the bright light. Large bouquets of flowers charmed to stay fresh were placed artistically across the room, which smelt pleasantly like wild violets. The man risked a glance at the woman. She was staring enraptured around the room, and as he leant in closer, he realised that she too smelt of the same dusky violets. He continued his inspection.

In the centre of the room was the final masterpiece. A huge bed lay ahead of them, covered in silk blankets and ornamental cushions. Like the bed of a king, billowing curtains of rich material hung around the oak.

"This is your show of guilt?" he asked sarcastically, looking around at the master bedroom.

The woman smiled softly and pointed to the bed.

"That's my marriage bed."

The man looked over and grinned, "And?"

"I want you to make love to me on it."

She turned to him with a vicious smile on her face.

"I'm sure Draco would have no objections."

The man grinned as he leant in closer.

"Kitty," he murmured, "You are something else."

*

Ginny padded along the twisting hallways of the hotel, not trusting her memory of it enough to Apparate. Today had been uneventful and slightly boring. After the big drama at breakfast, Draco had vanished into the bedroom and seven hours later he showed no signs of emerging.

Ginny was slightly worried, but as she disliked Draco, she felt that she could face the separation with a cheerful face. She herself had done several things today…but none of it was interesting one iota. So far she had visited the gift shop, written letters to several family members, flooed Clarissa and Laura, met their next-door neighbours and moisturised her skin. 

Ginny hoped that things would look up – and soon – or else she felt she might just die of boredom.

In an attempt to try to liven things up, Ginny had decided to visit the hot tub and joint pool. She had been feeling strange pains in her stomach and arms all day, and she hoped the warm water would do something to ease the uncomfortable feeling.

Ginny strolled into the lounge and was about to turn left when she realised she had no clue to where the pool facilities actually were

Turning left she opted for the information desk, where a blonde witch was sitting, studiously looking over data charts.

"Excuse me?" Ginny asked, feeling guilty as the witch gave a little startled jump before focusing on Ginny. Immediately she jumped into professional mode.

"Good afternoon, Miss, how may I be of service to you today."

"I was just wondering where the pool was?" Ginny asked politely, looking at some of the glossy brochures filled with moving pictures of relaxed looking guests.

"It's down the hall over there and then through the gardens and gaming rooms."

"Thanks," Ginny said smiling preparing to leave.

"Is there anything else I might help you with?" the witch asked with a dazzling smile.

Ginny thought for a moment, then figured that she might as well kill a few birds with one stone.

"Actually," she paused to squint at the witch's nametag, "Susan, you can help with a few things."

"Fire away."

"I was wondering on the prices of your dinner menu and also your room service options?"

Susan launched into a dialog about the efficiency of their new dinner system and the elegance of their dining hall. Ginny, always the sectary whipped out her note-pad and started to jot down details.

When Susan had finished, something occurred to Ginny. Surely Draco would want to make a meeting to talk to the manager about group rates and such.

"One more thing, my Boss is actually running a travel agent…"

Susan smiled even wider and sat up even straighter. Ginny thought she looked remarkably like Hermione when she desperately 

wanted to answer a particularly difficult question.

"Any questions requirements or national health standard issues?" Susan chanted, "I would be happy to help you with everything!" 

She spoke quickly and kept looking around as if to check that somewhere her boss was watching.

"Actually," said Ginny quickly, "I think he might need to have a chat to your manager…He's looking into ordering group holidays, and this hotel might just do for a start off point."

The receptionist nodded so fast that Ginny thought for a single moment that she was having a seizure.

"Would you like me to book an appointment?" Asked Susan eagerly.

"That would be lovely," replied Ginny, tapping her fingernails as Susan made the call.

A few minutes later it was all systems go, and Ginny headed off down the hall, returning Susan's happy wave. 

The walk to the pool was relaxing, with pretty gardens and a gaming room that hadn't quite hit peak time. The wizards hanging about we're perfectly friendly, and Ginny found herself grinning wider and wider with every wave.

The pool was shaped around several mini-islands, and Ginny enjoyed herself immensely, just swimming around. Oddly enough, the pains in her stomach seemed to get worse whenever she ventured into the round shaped hot tub. In another strange twist, the pains got better when she leapt into the icy cold pool water. 

Finally Ginny finished up and headed back to her room. Feeling more at ease with the hotel, she Apparated back to the entrance to her hotel room and scanned her wand, gaining access. 

Walking in she was amazed to see that Draco was still locked in the bedroom. Feeling that things had just gone on to long, Ginny walked up and rapped sharply on the door.

"Draco?" she called softly, to no reply. "Draco?" She tried again louder then gave up when still nobody answered.

Furious, Ginny pointed her wand at the locked door and cried, "Alohomora!"

The door swung open and Ginny strode purposely in. 

To her surprise, Draco wasn't asleep or unconscious or even a mixture of both. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the floor. Ginny glared at him, but felt her anger ebbing away at the pitiful sight.

"Why did you look me out?" she demanded in a tough voice.

Draco shrugged hollowly and continued to stare at the floor.

"Draco?" Ginny asked worried, leaning in closer and poking him in the shoulder, "Are you alright."

Draco shrugged again and then swallowed heavily.

"Who's Kitty?" Ginny probed, "What did the letter mean?"

For the first time Draco looked up, and Ginny was terrified by the hate in his eyes.

"We're leaving tomorrow, and there will be no more hotels. The rough life is about to start."

Ginny gazed at him exasperated. 

"Could be please address the issue at hand?"

"Pack your bags, we're leaving first thing tomorrow morning."

Knowing it was hopeless to argue, Ginny slammed the door and left to cancel Draco's appointment. 

*

**Ginny's sickness, _Sanguis _is the Latin name for blood_, _and_ Sanguiseraitis _is a mixture of Blood and sick in Latin (I also added it-is on the end)**

**For once I didn't do a cliffie! Are you guys proud?**

**Next chapter we see a lot more D/G action… I would've done it this chapter, but as I love writing bad guys, Kitty's part got the better of me.******


	13. Of driving desparation and danger

**_Fic: _****Normality**

**_Author: _****Cessa**

**_Disclaimer: _****Everything you recognize belongs to JK Rowlings…the only thing that's mine is the plot and several random characters… **

**_Rated: _****R for adult themes and language_._**

**_A/N: Hey Guys…I worked hard on this chapter so I hope you all think it's ok! Your reviews are just so amazing…seriously; they kick me into 5th writing gear. I'm still looking for a Beta, and the main points I need help with is my Grammar and my spellings…so if you're good at those English categories, please send me an email!_**

**_As usual, my address is hunny___@hotmail .com…that's also my msn address; so if any of you guys have msn and want to discuss my fic or HP as a whole, just add me to your list! (By the way, there are 3 underscores after 'hunny')_**

**_I have to explain a few things about last chapter._**

**_1. _****_Ginny's reaction to her disease._**

**_She knows she has it, but it hasn't bothered her for her entire life, so it doesn't seem at all life threatening. Besides, she had already been told that her blood tests had come out clean for the year, so it wasn't an issue before…now however…_**

**2. ****_Draco donating blood… just wait and see! Wait and see!_******

Ginny had gotten up much earlier then Draco, who was still sleeping quietly on his recently replaced mattress (he had put in a complaint about the sate of the other one). 

She had a lot on her mind and decided to go outside onto the small balcony, to watch the vibrant Australian sun rise, and to ponder a few issues that had been troubling her. 

As she lifted the latch on the door, and pulled it open, she was almost blasted by the stillness that seemed to exist. In London you could expect life at 4:30 in the morning. People were already up and yelling. Here in Australia however…well the morning was silent. Silent and beautiful. All around her animals were starting to wake up or drift back into their burrows and homes. Birds were softly cooing and a single wallaby hopped over the lawn.

"Beautiful…" Ginny murmured watching its progress. 

She suddenly felt another sharp pain in her stomach and winced. She wondered if it had been something she had eaten. To her dismay, another feeling started to weave its way through her mind…another feeling that could only be described as uncertain panic. 

But Ginny was sure these pains had nothing to do with her case of Sanguis. She was certain. But that didn't stop her being a little worried.

People sometimes wondered why she wasn't as well, _aware, _of her illness, as she should be. The truth is, when Ginny was first diagnosed with Sanguiseraitis, some 24 years ago, it was been a time of panic. Her mother had been terrified, the rest of the family uncertain. It was only after several checkups that they started to realise that is wasn't such a big deal. Several years later, nothing had ever come to light about the whole thing, and Ginny had never been sick aside from a few little colds.

And so they forgot.

Sure, she went for the check-up every year, and sure, she sometimes stressed about the whole thing, but in general, Sanguis was just an insignificant part of Ginny's life. She had just gone for a blood test a few months ago and everything had been clear. 

Franklin had never even known about this condition, and Ginny was determined not to tell Draco. As far as she was concerned, Sanguis was just a slight complication…it was nothing big like the muggle illness Diabetes that had to be carefully monitored and checked. No, Sanguis was nothing and never had been anything more than the average flu. 

"Morning," said a gruff voice from behind her. 

Ginny turned around sharply and smiled wryly at Draco whose hair was tousled from sleep. Looking close at him she tried not to gasp out loud. 

Draco was wearing nothing but a towel, wrapped snugly around his tall frame. He was certainly not the scrawny little boy she remembered from Hogwarts either. 

When she finally found her voice again, Ginny turned towards Draco, who was looking amused.

"Good morning," Ginny answered squeakily, trying hard to look anywhere but Malfoy's built chest. 

"Are you packed?" He asked, walking over to lean over the railing. His closeness sent shivers down Ginny's spine, and her stomached twitched in a mixture of uncomfortable pain and unbelievable lust. 

"Yes." She answered shortly, trying hard to remind herself that she hated him. "Are you?"

He nodded in reply and started to look at a pack of pink galahs, shooting across the dawning sky in a magnificent display of colours. The sky was pink and magenta and blue and orange, all blended together to form a massive painting of pure beauty.

"What time are we leaving?" asked Ginny, in an attempt to start a conversation.

"Soon." Malfoy said.

Ginny tried to nod, but suddenly found that her stomach was turning with pain. Pain that had now spread up through her body and down to her right arm, causing her to wince in pain as the throbbing intensified.

Malfoy might have noticed her discomfort, but if he had, he ignored it and marched back into the hotel room, Ginny struggling after him.

They soon checked out of the hotel, and Ginny felt awful as she cancelled Draco's appointment. The look on the bubbly receptionists face was of complete disappointment, but to make up for Draco's rudeness, Ginny gave her very large tip.

Soon they were piled into their massive yellow car-thingy (as Ginny had been accustomed to calling it) and on the road again, a muggle radio station blaring out ridiculously loud music.

Dusty landscapes went blurring past as they sped along the freeway, leaving a cloud of dusty brilliance behind them. Kangaroo's hopped past their car in a furious race to keep up and claim their title of speed. Once Ginny even thought she saw a massive lizard bathing by the side of the road, absorbing the brilliant heat.

Soon they passed a massive sign saying, "You are now exiting Mareeba", and Draco let a grin slide over his face as he claimed that they were right on track.

Soon a silence echoed around the car as the radio went dead. Ginny tried to flick about to find another station, but was soon disappointed. Instead she opted for an old fashioned way of simply talking.

"So, Draco," she started, "what have you been doing with your life?"

Draco turned to her incredulously, a bemused look present on his slightly sun burnt face.

"Why would you want to know about my life?" he finally questioned.

Ginny pulled on a pair of huge tortoise shell sunglasses (purchased from the ever fashionable gift shop) and rolled her eyes.

"Because we're in the middle of the fucking desert and I'm bored."

Draco smiled at her use of the word 'fuck' (he always imagined her as to dainty to swear) and turned to her amused.

"You really want to know?"

"Yes!"

Draco sighed and took a swig from his bottle of water.

"Ok then…I'll tell you."

Ginny leaned forwards, expecting a tale filled with Glamour, interest and high celebrities. At least at the level of Prince William. Instead Draco grinned sardonically and explained in two sentences his life.

"Alright, I finished school then worked in my Fathers watch factory for a few years. I then got bored and went around the world, coming back to work in a travel agent..."

He trailed off and licked his lips, satisfied with his tale.

Ginny lifted her sunglasses up onto her forehead and took a few moments to glare at Draco, who was now humming the national anthem while swerving the wheel to fit in with the beat. Finally she cleared her throat and tapped her fingernails on the dashboard impatiently.  

"And that's it?" she asked sarcastically.

Malfoy smirked and answered infuriatingly, "pretty much. Why? What else would you like to hear?"

"Well…At least a little bit of a story! Where did you go travelling?"

Draco leaned further back in his seat and concentrated on his driving as he navigated them over a rough piece of land.

"I went to Rome…Greece…Italy…Holland…Germany…Japan…"

"Anywhere else?"

"Vietnam," replied Draco softly as he drifted into a daydream…

_"You have beautiful eyes."_

_The girl, who was sitting quietly on the park bench, glanced up and smiled at him prettily._

_"Don't I know you?" She asked in perfect English, with a hint of an exotic accent._

_Draco smiled right back at her, and then replied in a misty sort of voice._

_"Maybe…I might have seen you earlier this year when I visited Heaven." _

_Draco absently wondered whether a strip club could be described as heaven._

_The girl rolled her eyes and then laughed softly. Her laugh was one of the most intoxicating things that Malfoy had ever experienced. Listening to it was like downing twelve shots of chocolate-coated alcohol. It was like driving with the windows rolled down, listening to the wind blowing and whistling through his senses. Her voice was like money… travelling up and down like the soft tinkling of discarded coins. He was enthralled._

_She stared up him while he stood in a trance, and then she recognised him._

_"You're from the club aren't you?" she asked._

_"Yes," he answered honestly, "I saw you there."_

_"You saw me at me humble place of work? No wonder you noticed me." She answered bitterly, and Malfoy was devastated by the underlaying sadness in her voice._

_"I noticed you…more than anyone."_

_"Why?" she asked sardonically, "was I wearing the least clothing."_

_"I noticed you because you were beautiful. I didn't want to use you, or to play with you for money. I just wanted something…something more."_

_The girl raised an eyebrow and talked in a voice that said just how much she had endured during her life._

_"Let me tell you something, Mister, I noticed you as well. I noticed you because you aren't like me. You were sophisticated, rich…independent. What was I? I was a god dammed whore begging for the money that could be described as loose change for you. I'm not independent. I work for a man that molests me every time I step into the club and I ain't got no respect from anyone. I see why you noticed me. Or rather, I see why you wanted to hire me."_

_Draco sat down next to her carefully, avoiding touching her in any way. He wanted to let her know that he wasn't just after her body. There was something in those dark eyes that intrigued him. He was drawn to her like a honey to a bee._

_Oh yes, he wanted her, but he wanted so much more._

_"So what's your name?" he finally asked._

_"Catherine Saint-Johnson. But as my manager says…you can call me Kitty."_

Draco realised that he was driving off the road, and straightened up, knowing that the road was becoming blurry due to the tears in his eyes.

_Malfoy's don't cry. _He told himself stonily. _Never cry, never laugh, never weakness._

*   *   *   *   *

The man watched the woman lying next to him, fast asleep.

The sun was beginning to rise, sending out colourful patterns, which were now delicately tracing their way along her back as she breathed in and out, slowly breathing in the depths of her slumber. 

Kitty always looked innocent when she slept. It didn't matter what she had done the day before (or rather who she had done) when she asleep, it seemed as if she was an angel descended from glorious heaven. 

Her naked back was now glowing, and the man flushed with pleasure as he remember digging his hands deep into her skin as she cried out his name in pleasure. Now in the light he could see the marks he had imprinted and it made him glad. Glad that he could flaw her perfection, glad that he could ruin one thing about her.

Kitty was now murmuring softly, and moving around as the sleep started to pass. 

"Hyde?" she whispered throatily, throwing him into instant arousal. "How long have a been asleep for?"

Hyde stared at her as she fluttered open her eyes, and answered, "I'm not sure, I woke up only a little while ago."

He was drawn to her in the state she was in. She was so helpless…He could do anything to her…He watched as she turned over onto her side, and as she breathed in, her chest moved enticingly. 

Kitty fully awoke to Hyde roughly fondling her breast, taking no care in the way her rubbed her nipples between his fingers and the way he grabbed at her skin.

"Ouch!" she cried grumpily, but not without lust. "That hurts you great brute."

Hyde grinned, and then flipped her over onto her back.

"You know you love it…" 

Kitty moaned in reply, as Hyde continued his assault on her chest. Soon, sensing that she was getting bored with the attention, he slid his hand down her torso, passed her belly button and into the curls below, caressing her with force and aggression.

Kitty was just starting to enjoy herself when she remembered that they had an important deadline to meet.

Pulling away from his hands she leapt out of bed, ignoring Hyde's impatient moan.

"Bloody hell, Kitty," he growled. "Just let me finish!"

Kitty shot him a mischievous grin as she pulled on her smooth black pants, and mesh style robes.

"Don't be so impatient, darling Hyde," she finally simpered, her voice full of malice, "You know I like to see you being a big boy and waiting for the right moment…and now isn't that time. We have something to do in this miserable little country…remember?"

Hyde grumpily got out of the bed, not bothering to conceal his nakedness. Finally catching up to her he pulled her close to his body, loving the feeling of her scratchy pants on his skin. Finally he reached down and cupped her crotch, grinning at the little moan she exhaled. He liked making her lose control. To him it was all one big power trip. 

"Are you certain that I can't tempt you?"

Kitty leaned back into him, ready to give up and submit. Then she remembered one vital point. She was supposed to be in control.

Reaching behind her, she carefully rubbed his exposed skin until he was practically shivering. Pulling herself free, she stalked over to the mirror and applied her favourite lipstick.

Seduction red.

*    *    *    *    *

Harry had finally talked to Ron…it wasn't easy but now he felt as if he had things figured out a little clearer.

Ron had filled him in on the whole situation, but had then left immediately to go to The Burrow, ready to tell his family where Ginny was. 

It hurt Harry to have to betray her trust, but this was urgent.

Besides, he was not going to leave her in Australia.

But that wasn't figured out yet.

Thinking back, Harry decided to look over what Ron had told him one more time, so he could finalise his plans and figure out his course of action.

Ron had come to his door at about noon. Harry had let him in, and then demanded to know the full extent of the situation. 

_"We got Ginny's test results back ages ago…" _was the first thing that he had said,_ "And the Doctor said that they were fine, and that we didn't need to worry until next year. I guess that's why Ginny went on holiday without us…she probably thought she was alright."_

Ron stared at the floor and Harry had to ask what had happened next.

_"It wasn't until a few days ago that the Doctor called back and said that a secondary test had shown some abnormalities. He had to do a few different cross checks, but we found out yesterday the extent of the damage…"_

Ron had trailed off and then a single tear had dripped down his face.

_"We need her here, Harry. The Doctor can't find a donor…we all have to be tested but honestly, its not looking good."_

Harry rubbed his friends back and then asked quietly,_ "Where is she Ron?"_

Ron had taken a deep breath.

_"Nobody knows."_

Harry was furious at Ginny for leaving them with nothing. How were they supposed to contact her? Talk to her? Ron had even asked at Ginny's work…nobody knew Draco's plans. 

One of Ginny's friends, Linda, had helpfully given Harry a few pamphlets, but warned him that this trip was mainly to find hotels so there were no fixed destinations. 

Harry knew there was only one thing to do.

We would have to find Ginny…if it took him months. He was going to get to the bottom of this, and bring Ginny home to her family.

_And maybe me…_

Shaking his head, Harry started to pack his bags.

*    *    *    *    *

Kitty strutted up the steps of "Spellbound" delighting in the looks that passing by males sent her way. Kitty adored attention. 

"Where are we going again?" asked Hyde, puffing up the stairs behind her.

"We're going to have a little chat to my old husband."

Hyde sniggered and leaped a few steps so he was walking next to Kitty. He also liked the attention she claimed, basking in the reflected glory of having such a companion. 

"What are you asking him for this time?" Hyde asked, "I thought you'd already cleaned his out last time."

Kitty pouted and kissed him, right in the entrance of the agency. People bustled past and shoved them together, but she paid them no heed.

"Don't you worry you're little head about a thing," she finally replied, pulling away from Hyde. "I've got it all under control."

Pushing open the heavy glass doors, Kitty marched into the main administration office and tapped her long red fingernails impatiently. 

Finally the blonde sectary looked up and glanced at Kitty with distaste. Kitty supposed it had something to do with the fact that "Tiffany" as her nametag read, had quite a flat chest. Looking down at her own ample bosom, Kitty reasoned that anyone would be jealous.

"Good morning…" she finally purred. 

"Hello," replied Tiffany icily, "may I help you?"

"Yes, you can." Kitty said in a low aggressive tone. "And you can start by showing at least some manners, before I report you to your supervisor."

Tiffany visibly gulped, and asked in a fake sugary accent,

"I'm dreadfully sorry _ma'am, _it won't happen again."

"Much better," Kitty trilled, "and don't you go worrying your fake little blonde head about it."

Tiffany practically snarled, and then turned her grimace into a forced smile.

"I'm sorry, Miss, was there a reason why you're here."

"I want to speak with Draco Malfoy." Kitty answered shortly, as she inspected her flawless nails.

"I'm sorry," said Tiffany, not looking apologetic at all. "Mr. Malfoy and his Personal assistant are away on a business trip." She smirked triumphantly at Kitty.

"Oh, dear!" cried Kitty sarcastically, but inside she was fuming. How dare Draco tramp off on a little business trip with someone that Kitty guessed was a very pretty, trampy little sectary. Right when she needed to talk to him!

Meanwhile, Tiffany was glaring out her with satisfaction, although she finally snapped out of her sadistic state, just long enough to ask "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

Kitty did some quick thinking and replied, "I would like to talk to the second in command then."

Tiffany looked doubtful before calling for the first name that came to her head.

"Linda!" she called cheerfully. "Someone here to see you!"

Linda wandered out of her office and looked doubtfully at Kitty and Hyde.

"Good afternoon," she finally said politely. "How may I help you today?"

Kitty smiled, thankful that good service existed somewhere in the world.

"I was wondering," Kitty asked, "If I could speak to you about your Boss?"

Tiffany was now leaning forwards, obviously trying to eavesdrop on the conversation. Perhaps Linda noticed this, and that could have been why she showed Kitty and Hyde down the corridor to her office, leaving Tiffany with a huge pout on her face, and her nail file going at top speed.

"So what can I help you with?" Linda asked when she had seated herself behind her desk.

Her office was quite small, with only enough room for her polished oak desk, wastepaper bin, her favorite lily plant and two rickety guest chairs, of in which Kitty and Hyde took their seats.

"Yes," said Kitty, smiling charmingly, "I'm an old school pal of Draco's…(at this Hyde let out a slight cough) and I was curious about his whereabouts." 

"I'm sorry, that information is classified."

"I completely understand that," Kitty smiled again, gritting her teeth, "But I know he's in Australia…he told me before he left."

Hyde looked a little surprised at the lie, but Linda seemed to buy it.

"Oh, really?" she said with another smile, "well I suppose if he indulged that to you, he must have some connection with you!"

Kitty let a laugh fall pleasantly from her lips. Let it never be said that Kitty was not a good actor.

"Well, you might say that…we were engaged at one point! We only decided against marriage because of our friendship…"

Linda was now leaning forwards, totally intrigued. Kitty suppressed a smile a continued her sob story for another three minutes. By the end of it, Linda was in tears and Kitty was making her a strong cup of tea.

"You know," Kitty said in a false wistful voice…

"Yes?!" Linda asked, blowing her nose.

"I would really like to see Draco again…"

Linda considered her for a second, and then handed her a bunch of pamphlets.

"Here…" she said, obviously not believing her nerve. "This is all completely classified of course, but I think that as Draco's ex-fiancé I can trust you. Have these…I can tell you that Draco planned to visit all of them by the end of the trip. I can't give you his exact location, but this will be a great start." 

"Thank you!" Kitty gushed, taking the pamphlets with a wink at Hyde. "You truly are matching up true love!

Soon after Linda showed them out of her office and even exchanged phone numbers with Kitty (who of course provided Linda with a totally fake number). As they were walking out of the main office, Kitty couldn't resist paying Tiffany a little visit.

Stopping by her desk she said conversationally, "You really should take better bare of your nails, dear. They're completely out of control!"

Tiffany immediately looked down at her immaculate nails, with obvious worry. Kitty took this moment to extract her bright red nail polish from its permanent residency in her handbag.

"Oh dear!" She said, as she held up her hands in mock worry. "Some of the polish on one of my hands is chipped…better just touch that up."

Tiffany watched, maybe hoping to get some advice on nail care. It didn't matter how much the she hated this brassy brunette…beauty was worth ditching rivalry.

Of course, Tiffany didn't see Kitty lean the red paint towards her before it was to late, and by that time it had splattered all down her shirt.

"Oh no!" Kitty cried in an exaggerated worried voice, "Let me help you clean that up!"

She grabbed a tissue and started to viciously rub the red, making it sink into Tiffany's shirt…deeper every time. Tiffany could only splutter in disbelief as her top class white robes were demolished.

Finally when Kitty was assured that there would be a stain, she leant towards Tiffany and whispered dangerously in her ear.

"You have to be careful with red nail polish…it's exactly like blood…it stains like nothing you're ever before seen."

Tiffany whimpered as Kitty leant even closer, so her lips were touching the other girl's ear. She felt mingling terror, apprehension and a strange lust that only Kitty could bestow, on girl and boy alike.

"Be careful around me, sweetheart," Kitty continued dangerously. "I'm nothing like you're ready for. Go to close to the fire and you could get burnt."

Straightening up, Kitty slowly blew Tiffany a kiss and then marched towards the door, all dangerous tones out of her voice.

"Ciao, Sugar," she called back over her shoulder, before adding, "And you might want to change your hair color…that blonde does nothing for you…"

Kitty continued to march down the steps, Hyde close behind her. She didn't drop her act until they were safely concealed in the small grassy park, behind Flourish and Blotts.

Only then did Kitty light her cigarette and take delicately powerful puffs.

"What was the point of that?" Hyde finally asked, watching as Kitty blew a smoke ring.

"We're going to Australia," she answered simply. "And Draco better watch his back."

**A/N**

**Dun dun dun!!!!!!!!!!!**

**So Kitty's off to Australia…as is Harry…as is Hyde…as is Ron…**

**What WILL happen!  
  
**


	14. Of life, hate and lust

**_Fic: _****Normality**

**_Author: _****Cessa**

**_Disclaimer: _****Everything you recognize belongs to JK Rowlings…the only thing that's mine is the plot and several random characters… **

**_Rated: _****R for adult themes and language_._**

**_A/N: I would like everyone to welcome my new beta-reader Priscilla! She did an absolutely awesome job with a section of this chapter and thus is my new edit chum. Go team!_**

**_I'm sorry this chapter took so long but there has been a lot going on in my life. Assessments are coming at me left right and centre so its getting a bit difficult…this chapter is the longest yet however, and a lot of stuff happens…trust me, you guys are going to adore this._**

**_If there is anyone out there who is disgusted by non-consensual sexual implications and refuse to read it (don't worry it's not between Ginny and Draco) then this chapter is not for you._**

**_Also, this is the chapter that starts the story off down an increasingly R-rated trail. If you disapprove of sex and sexual references this chapter might get a little heavy. _**

**_In this chapter we learn a little more about "Kitty's" life and its not all pretty._**

**_Enjoy!_******

"Ouch," Ginny cried, grabbing at her midriff.

Draco paused, concerned and reached out to give her a hand.

They had been hiking up to their very first campsite for over an hour now. They had driven through town after town all day, until Draco had finally announced in late afternoon that they were drawing near to the allocated camping spot.

At that particular moment they were halfway up a treacherous hill, covered with all sorts of scrubby bush and twisting trees. It was especially hard to walk over and it wasn't the first time Ginny had clutched a cramp. But this one was different.

Firstly, it started lower and then built up gradually into blinding pain.   It was nothing like the short sharp bursts of pain that the usual cramps brought to her. It was horrible.

"Maybe we should take a rest," Draco commented. He didn't say it nicely however; he said it very condescendingly, like he was scoffing at her lack of fitness.

"I'm fine," snapped Ginny, standing up and then wobbling dizzily.

"No you're not!" Draco snapped right back. "Look at yourself. You can't even bloody stand properly." 

"I can too!" Ginny said proudly, except at that very moment she wobbled dangerously and started to fall backwards.

Draco rolled his eyes and dived after her, catching her up in his arms and setting her back onto her feet, Ginny glaring the entire time.

"That's enough," he said finally. "We'll camp here for the night."

Ginny didn't have enough energy to show her relief, so she sank down onto a rock sending Draco a rude sign, which he thankfully ignored. 

Meanwhile, Draco was investigating the chosen camping spot. Next the Track was a dusting clearing that would be perfect to pitch a tent in. Tall gumtrees surrounded them, as well as a few random palm trees and ferns. Down the gully a rainforest was wildly waiting, next to a small spring that spread out into a wide river.

Leaving Ginny sitting down on her rock, Draco reached into his pocket and pulled out all the camping goods that they had pulled out from the car, before beginning the trek. They had all been rather craftily shrunk, so it took awhile to firstly, un-shrink them, and then secondly, to enchant them to their proper shape.

Soon enough they were up though and Draco lit a small fire that burnt bright into the darkening evening. 

"Feeling better," he finally muttered gruffly to Ginny, trying to sound as if he didn't care much either way.

"Fine, thanks." Ginny answered shortly, checking her nails and trying to appear as if she wasn't watching Draco.

"Feel like something to eat?"

"Can you cook?"

Draco looked down at his feel and admitted that no; he had no idea how to cook. Ginny sighed heavily and started upon cooking with the handy spells that Molly Weasley had been sure to teach her. 

Finally they were both sitting on opposite sides of the campfire, both totally involved in eating. 

Ginny was a little unsure about the way that Malfoy had been acting. He wasn't as mean and sarcastic as usual, instead behaving awkwardly and sort of gruff. It was throwing her off guard, as she had no idea how to react to this new Malfoy. 

Looking up carefully from her thick, vegetable soup, Ginny glanced around and was amazed to see a kangaroo hopping into their clearing snuffling around at the food. It suddenly hopped a metre too close, and Ginny let out a short shriek. 

"What is it?" Draco asked irritably.

"Look!" Ginny squeaked delighted as a baby wallaby popped its head out of the concealed pouch low on the kangaroo's fluffy stomach.

"Women…" muttered Malfoy as he shook his head in disbelief and then started to carve a piece of bark with his rough pocketknife.

Ginny rolled her eyes and then with nothing to do started to stare at Draco…this occupation throwing her into a fit of wild desires.

The firelight was jumping up and creating patterns across Draco's face and body. He was tall and lean, not really built out like those muggle weight lifters, but more willowy. Ginny would never admit it to anyone, but she felt she preferred Draco's shape to any others. 

His face was also beautiful, glowing in the firelight and making him look like an angel descended into hell. His skin was very fair…it always had been, and his slate grey eyes looked interested for once as he carved away like it was his duty. 

He had beautiful hands as he held the knife. Ginny had also noticed them when he was driving. They were long and slender like the rest of him and as graceful as the hands of the world's skilled painters. 

_Imagine if he painted my body with the same passion…_Ginny wondered before mentally chiding herself. This was Malfoy. Not someone she wanted to fantasise about. He was horrible…

But even that excuse was wearing a little thin.

As Malfoy concentrated Ginny watched him slightly stick his tongue out, pooling in the corner of his mouth. 

She visibly shivered.

Never in her life had something so simple sparked desire in her. She felt a throbbing sensation deep in the pit of her stomach that flared every time Draco moved.

Fingers…running down my skin, mouth trailing down mine…tongue kissing me…licking…sweat…desire...sweet…need…

"I'm going to bed!" Ginny blurted out, trying hard to not look at any part of Draco…especially his crotch. 

"Suit yourself…" Draco answered, not really concentrating.

Ginny stood up and stumbled into the tent. 

*   *   *   *   *

_"Get over here you little slut."_

_"But, Toni, I-" _

_"I don't give a fuck what you have to do. You will get us the bloody rent money or I'll sell you to a factory. Got it?"_

"Toni-" 

Sixteen-year-old Katherine shuddered as her stepfather advanced on her with the wooden spoon that her mother used at the soup kitchens. He held it out menacingly with his disgusting smile spread across his face. She hated that face…it had haunted her since her 11th birthday when her mother had brought **him** home with her.

Her Mother was asleep again. Asleep like she was every night. At night times he came for her. He came into her room and invaded the only space she had left. 

He always came when she was about to go to sleep. Every night she kidded herself and pretended that he wasn't going to come…that he must have forgotten about her. But he always came.

The first thing he would do was to make her undress herself. He always laughed at her and then told her that she was very pretty and that by being so she had made him come to her.__

_It was all her fault and she believed him._

Then he walked over and violated every single protective wall she had build up around herself.

He never touched one thing though. Her Virginity.

He told her that is was a special gift that he wanted to save for her. By doing so he made her think that he wasn't the bad guy. That there must be something right about what he was doing.

Later she figured out the truth.

One day when she was almost sixteen, he came into her room and looked over her with satisfaction. He only said one thing to her,__

_"You are ready."_

The next evening, he dressed her in some clothes that she had never seen before. They were small though, and she felt naked, like people were staring at her constantly.   
  
He led her through the town, and then onto a street that she had never seen before. They re-entered the main road, but it was different than how Kitty remembered it to be. It was no longer clean and busy with stores and factories selling brightly colored goods. There were no longer any parks, railroads or take away food stores. There was only darkness and loudness as clubs played music that somehow seemed wrong.   
  
Toni lead her through all of this until they finally stopped in front of the largest building on the street.   
  
Although they moved quickly, Katherine could still vaguely make out the sign that was flashing in all its technicolor glory. It said, "Whores."   
  
Immediately, she realized what Teri had planned. She tried to run away, but he grabbed her harshly by the left shoulder and tugged her back to him. Roughly, he pulled her into the darkness while Katherine squealed in pain.   
  
"Listen here," he said gruffly, unable to keep himself from rubbing her body viciously. "We ain't got enough money to pay that rent and you're going to help us."   
  
Katherine didn't bother to ask how. She already knew.   
  
As if he were tying a leash around her, Teri tugged a piece of rope around her waist and pulled her into the club.   
  
Immediately, she knew that she would never want to display herself the way these women were. They were rubbing up and down poles, showing off scantily clad bodies for the admiration of jeering men.   
  
Toni dragged her through all this and out through the back, past a roughly drawn red curtain.   
  
A huge man was seated on an overflowing pile of cushions, smiling hugely at them as they entered.   
  
"Toni," he cried. "I see that you've brought her…just as you promised."   
  
"Rube," Toni acknowledged dryly, "Care to take a look?"   
  
The man stumbled up heavily and waddled over. He started to circle Katherine, poking her occasionally, and feeling her breasts, legs and backside.   
  
"Nice," he finally said, after he had completed a full circle. "Anything else I need to know?"   
  
At this Toni smiled a terrible grin, and Katherine felt her heart fill up with fear. He reach out and pulled her over by her wrist, putting his arm roughly around her waist.   
  
"She's a virgin." He finally answered, patting her on the head like a puppy.   
  
Katherine felt her heart drop as the man looked at her with immediate interest and greedy excitement. She could hear every lie that Toni had ever told her clouding her senses, and she felt sickened as the fat man stared at her with complete lust.   
  
"She's not for you, Rube," Toni commented aimlessly, "I want you to sell off her first time to a rich man…and he better pay well. After all," he continued, sneering at her with a nasty smile, "a girl only gets one first time…"   
  
"I've got the perfect man for you," Rube finally said lazily. "I've got a rich man in from Prague, he's offering big money for a young girl. I was going to give Ren to him, but now we have a virgin…oh, he'll pay big money for her. Jules!" he suddenly called, and a young boy ran into the room. "Fetch me Mr. Litchman, I've got an offer he can't refuse…"   
  
It most certainly was an offer that Mr. Litchman couldn't refuse, and so Katherine found herself lying naked on a bed, with only Rube's young servant there, smiling evilly as he gave her advice about how to best please a customer. He was soon bored though. He was under strict orders not to touch her at all, and he was finding this hard to follow.   
  
"What's your name?" he finally asked, staring at her bare chest.   
  
"Katherine," she whispered, her eyes darting around.   
  
"Katherine!" he cried in disbelief. "That's not a name for a hooker! That sounds like you're a bloody lady or something."   
  
Katherine kept quiet, thinking about the father who had named her. He had been a gentleman, but under no condition was she to mention that.   
  
"No," he continued thoughtfully, "It'll have to be something else…I've got it!"   
  
"What am I to be called?"   
  
"We'll call you, Kitty."   
  
That was the last thing he said before he was shooed out of the room and a tall gentleman walked in. Straight away Kitty was terrified, and the first tears dripped from her eyes.   
  
The man didn't notice, and as he continued, Kitty continued to weep…   
  
"Kitty!"   
  
Kitty's eyes snapped open and she jumped up from the bed, waving her arms in an attempt to hit her attacker.   
  
"Kitty!"   
  
The voice cried again, and Kitty opened her eyes fully, breathing heavily. Hyde was sitting on the bed, totally bewildered as he ducked her blows.   
  
"What the hell is the matter with you?" he cried.   
  
"No-nothing…" Kitty stammered, waking up fully and mustering up her fiercest glare. "I just had a nightmare. That's all."   
  
"Must' a been some nightmare," Hyde commented, leaning back.   
  
Kitty shook for a second longer before pulling herself together. She wasn't a weak little girl any more, governed to what Teri told her. She was Kitty, not shivering little Katherine. And under no condition did Kitty weep under the gaze of a man.   
  
"Nothing to worry your little head about," she purred, leaning closer. "Now, are you all packed? Because today we're laving for the Floo central."   
  
"Yes…" Hyde answered meekly, still looking distracted. Kitty could hardly blame him. It wasn't everyday that she showed signs of weakness.   
  
Cursing herself, she decided that this had gone on long enough.   
  
Stalking out of the room she took a long shower, and didn't come out again until she was sure that she was rid of her pathetic alter ego.   
  
She was Kitty, and Kitty didn't put up with a man's pathetic shit.   
  
* * * * *   
  
Ginny wriggled around. She felt constricted in this strange piece of material that Draco had named a 'sleeping bag'. Everywhere she rolled it felt as if someone were pulling her back and tangling her up.   
  
It didn't exactly help that she was fantasizing about being tangled up in something entirely different.   
  
Stop! Ginny thought silently. He's MALFOY!   
  
The name no longer scared her now. She wanted him so badly that she couldn't sleep. She could barely even move. It was like she had been pretending that she hated him. Like she had forced herself to believe that he was nothing she wanted.   
  
But now the walls were crumbing, and the raging currents of her emotions refused to be repressed.   
  
It was a vicious cycle with no middle and no end. She could either hate him, or be totally in need of him.   
  
And she hated it.   
  
The weather, despite the dark evening, was still uncomfortably warm, and Ginny was sleeping in only a thin t-shirt and a pair of plaid pyjama pants. She was trying her hardest to look unattractive…she didn't want to give Draco any sort of ideas…   
  
I think my own 'ideas' are quite enough for the moment.   
  
The sudden noise of the tent zipping open was enough to make Ginny jump, and then relax (to a certain degree) when she realized it was Draco.   
  
"Hi," she said quietly.   
  
"Hey…can't sleep?"   
  
Ginny looked over his body again and guiltily squeaked that she couldn't.   
  
"It's probably all the noise. I can see that someone with as little travel experience as you might not be used to it."   
  
Ginny immediately shot an insult back at Draco's hidden barb. "Excuse me, I've done plenty of travel."   
  
"Depending on if you call a trip to the hairdresser a 'trip'."   
  
"I went to Egypt!" Ginny snarled.   
  
"And I bet you stayed in a five star hotel!"   
  
"I didn't actually."   
  
"Sorry, how insensitive of me. Forgetting that you Weasleys have barely enough money to rent a cardboard box!"   
  
That's when Ginny lost her temper.   
  
"I can't believe you! You are such an insufferable GIT! And why the fuck are we sleeping in a piece of Muggle trash when we could be sleeping in a WIZARD'S tent with enough room to MOVE?!?"   
  
Draco inspected his nails and then answered in a bored voice, "This is a Wizard's tent. What ever made you think it wasn't?"   
  
"The fact that it's TWO feet WIDE!"   
  
"Ginny, darling, simple Ginny. Did you ever stop to consider that wizards do make actual tents? This one is small because it's the special 'rough' edition, made for back packers and people who like to stray from luxury. Did you ever stop to notice that this one is enforced with several protection charms? Did you ever wonder why the floor is soft? Why the windows are charmed with heat? Huh?"   
  
Ginny glared at Draco with all the force she could muster. Everything he was saying was only made a SQUILLION times worse by the fact that he was right.   
  
"You are so insufferable!" she cried, lost for insults. "You think you are so clever, and just because you are so ridiculously good looking, it doesn't mean you can treat people like shit!"   
  
Draco went quiet, and for one moment Ginny thought that she had won.   
  
Victory!   
  
"You know?" he suddenly asked, "I never said I was ridiculously good looking. Can it be that you have a little crush on me?"   
  
Shit.   
  
"ARGGGGGGGGG!"   
  
"You know, you really are sexy when you're mad."   
  
Ginny suddenly launched herself upon Draco and started pounding her fists into his chest. It didn't really hurt him at all, but he was reluctant to make her stop, because in her fury she hadn't exactly realized that was now sitting on a rather sensitive body part. She didn't even seem to notice that she was now straddling him and that every time she reached over to hit him, her shirt lurched forward.   
  
No, Draco was really enjoying the view, and Ginny was still yelling.   
  
"GIT! Everything you do irritates me…you never SHUT up and you are just a stupid liar, and I hate that I'm attracted to you, and WHY did I just say that out loud…you made me do it! You make me do all sorts of CRAZY things and I just can't TAKE it anymore!"   
  
"Finished?" Draco asked softy.   
  
Ginny shook her head and opened her mouth to resume yelling, but before she could, Draco reached up and pulled her down to his sleeping bag, while pressing her lips viciously against his.   
  
Ginny moaned immediately as her desire kicked into full throttle. Together they rolled around the tent, knocking over things and hitting the canvas sides.   
  
It was a vicious power struggle, each yearning to get the better hand.   
  
Ginny could feel Draco's taut, tight body against her own softer curves and what she wanted was the most obvious thing in the world. She felt as if she would die if she didn't get it and by the feel of Draco, he felt exactly the same.   
  
"Draco…" she breathed, pushed herself against him. He muttered a strangled moan in return and tightened his arms around her.   
  
Just as Draco was reaching over to pull her shirt off, a loud bird cry rang through the tent, bringing both surprise and complete terror to Ginny.   
  
Suddenly she was afraid. Very, very afraid.   
  
I shouldn't be doing this. I can't do this.   
  
Pushing Draco off her, Ginny ran to the door of the tent and tried to tug on the zipper, leaving Draco slowly recovering.   
  
"What?" he asked dryly, his voice laced with frustration.   
  
"I can't do this," she whispered, terrified.   
  
"And why the fuck not?" Draco asked, "I'm single, you're single and don't tell me that you don't want it because I can tell you do. It's just sex Ginny."   
  
"I'm not like you," Ginny argued, "Sex isn't just sex. It's making love."   
  
At this Draco burst out laughing and huffed out, "Oh for the love of God. You sound like a pathetic 13 year old."   
  
"I'm not pathetic." Ginny whispered, hurt.   
  
"Fine, if you must I know I think you are a very attractive woman…. and I would like to make love to you."   
  
"We don't even like each other."   
  
"I hate half the girls I sleep with," Draco answered with a careless shrug.   
  
"I'm not like most girls," Ginny answered with conviction.   
  
"You are just so…so…" Something suddenly dawned on Draco. "Hold on…you can't be…it's not possible what with Potter and such…"   
  
"What are you going on about? What aren't I?"   
  
"Weasley. You're not a virgin, are you?"   
  
At this Ginny went very red and struggled even harder to free the zipper.   
  
"You are!" Draco exclaimed, looking at her in a different light. "Weasley, are you gay or something? How can you have lasted twenty-six years without sex?"   
  
"I don't think life is just about sex," Ginny answered stiffly, even though her body was crying out for one thing only; that being sex.   
  
"Of course it is!" Draco exclaimed.   
  
"No, it isn't."   
  
"Fine, come over here and I'll prove it to you."   
  
Ginny hesitantly stepped over and sat down next to Draco.   
  
"Good," Draco said, leaning in closer. "Now, tell me if you feel anything…"   
  
Leaning in close to her, he snaked his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. Tilting his head so it was exactly level with her ear, he carefully brushed his lips over her ear lobes, sending tremors throughout her body.   
  
"Feel anything yet?" he asked.   
  
"No!" Ginny lied squeakily, even though her body was on fire.   
  
Draco chuckled softly and leaned in even closer, letting his tongue snake out. Gently, he licked her ear and then started sucking her lobe slightly. Ginny shivered as if she were dying in ice, and then felt the coldness melt away with a warmth that started deep in her stomach. The fire spread down her body, finally pooling between her legs. She wanted him.   
  
"How 'bout now?"   
  
Ginny suddenly sprung up and pointed her wand at the tent wall. She shouted an incantation that created a passageway for her to pass through, and then turned back to face Draco, with the wind blowing in her hair and her feet on the earthy floor.   
  
"I will never feel anything for you, or with you."   
  
And with that she was gone, running down the dirt track towards the spring that was their only source of water.

*   *   *   *   *

"Harry," Hermione asked nervously, "are you sure we're going to find Ginny? This trip could just be one huge waste."

"Shush, Hermione," Ron replied, more harshly then he would usually speak. He was terribly worried about Ginny and even though he loved Hermione with all his being, she was asking a few very unnecessary questions. 

Of course, his heart softened quite a lot when Hermione turned away quickly and even he couldn't miss the tears that she was trying to hide.

"Sorry, love," Ron said softly, pulling her into one of their famous cuddles. "I'm just horribly stressed out with this whole Sanguis ordeal. Finding Ginny is only half the problem. Where are we meant to find someone with the same blood!" 

Harry who had only been half listening suddenly sat up straight, ignoring the large, moving map of Australia that was spread out in front of him.

"What!" he cried, as Hermione and Ron dropped their hug, "I thought there was already a donor?"

"No go," Ron shook his head sadly, "His blood type wasn't what we were looking for. Similar but not the same."

Harry groaned out loud. Frustrated and angry, he had been looking over maps for the last three hours. 

Ron, Hermione and him were set to leave for Australia in twenty hours and the stress was wearing him ragged. Now not only did he have to worry about Ginny and her health, but also about travelling, maps and finding her in the first place!

"Ron," he said quietly, "please tell me that this is all a dream, that I'll wake up and Ginny will be fine."

Ron walked over to the door that lead out the balcony of Harry's apartment and leaned heavily against the glass.

"I can't Harry." He spoke softly.

"But we can be prepared!" Hermione cut in with her usual determination. "I've got a list of books here that may be useful. They're filled with all sorts of powerful tracking charms as well as some useful camping spells. Don't worry, if Ginny is out there, we will find her."

"And make that Bastard pay," Harry muttered darkly.

"That's for sure," Ron agreed.

"Look, maybe we should get some sleep?" Hermione suggested. "Ron and I can leave you alone for awhile…is that alright, Harry?"

Harry waved them away with a feeble arm and seconds later he was asleep.

Ron and Hermione left the building, not by the usual means of Apparation, but by walking through the higgledy-piggledy corridors of Harry's ancient apartment building.

Ancient as it was, it was still very grand and even Ron had to admit that it showed an air of class and sophistication. The crumbling sandstone walls were decorated with sweet smelling creepers and the inhabitants were generally very rich. Harry certainly hadn't outgrown his inheritance; in fact, he received fan mail stuffed with money almost every day, with the entire wizarding world desperate to show their admiration towards his defeat of the feared dark lord, Voldemort. It was a wonder that he chose to work at all.

Together Ron and Hermione wandered down the street, holding hands for support and each glad that they had each other to keep them in strength. 

"I love you, Ron," Hermione said as they passed a park that was full of memories for them.

"I adore and love you more," Ron answered with a vague smile, putting his arm warmly about Hermione's shoulders. Hermione grinned and held his hand tighter.

"Do not…" she replied with a cheeky grin.

"I do too!"

This continued for some time, until finally they reached their shared apartment building, not four blocks away from Harry's.

Unlike his, their apartment building was more cosy and less imposing. They knew their neighbours as well as anyone could and the entire red brick building was covered with washing left to dry and potted plants spread out of homely verandas. 

The staircase with its blue walls was a familiar sight, and together they trudged up the stairs, too tired to Apparate and in heavy need of sleep.

The corridor in which their flat resided was narrow with thick cream carpet and uneven polished wood doors. 

Ron and Hermione lived behind the crooked number '15'. They had chosen this flat for several reasons. Firstly, it was a huge window in the living room that overlooked the park. In fact, the whole apartment was quite sunny, and Hermione was forever praising the wallpaper, which was a pale, sunny yellow. Secondly, There was a huge kitchen in which Ron lived to cook. After sixth year he had discovered a rather unusual talent: cooking. 

Everyone had been amazed when Ron had prepared an amazing mud cake with rich sauce one afternoon for tea. When questioned about where he had bought such a delicacy, Ron had replied incredulously, "I didn't buy it anywhere! I made it!" 

"Nonsense, Ron!" Molly had exclaimed, and not a soul believed him until he cooked their chops for dinner and he was proclaimed a natural chef.

Although he skipped by this gift for a profession, cooking was still a major part of his life, and studious Hermione always took great advantage of their intricately prepared meals. 

The third reason why their flat was deemed to acceptable was the fact that Ron and Hermione had known each other for fifteen up and down years. An accomplishment that both felt deserved recognition. 

"It feels nice to be home, doesn't it?" Hermione asked, as Ron unlocked their door. Once it was opened she strode over to their favourite leather armchair and flopped down into it, pushing her hair of her neck.

"It feel's nice to be home with you…"Ron answered in a low voice, nuzzling on her neck, which Hermione tilted back to accommodate him.

Soon they were necking on the carpet like mere adolescents and it took all of Ron's energy to break away.

"We shouldn't be doing this," he gasped, "not with Ginny missing. I know that once I start I won't be able to stop and then I'll feel horrible because I wouldn't have given you my whole attention."

Hermione sat up and nodded mutely and helped Ron into their king sized bed. Pulling the cover's up around him she snuggling in under his arm and found her favourite shoulder nook.

"Night, precious," Ron whispered, kissing her forehead.

"I love you…" Hermione whispered back. 

*   *   *   *   *

Ginny sat by the stream, feeling her anger and fear melt clean away.

Before she had been a mess of feelings, a knotted bundle of emotion that was getting hard to control. In the setting she was in however, it was hard to keep thinking. The stars shone down, more brightly than Ginny had ever seen, and the moon was breathtakingly beautiful.

Nocturnal animals came out to play and from all around her Ginny could hear the snuffling and little crunching noises they were making. She even saw a wombat, a small marsupial mouse and a platypus. She wasn't afraid though…she felt as if she was part of the nature. 

Feeling that her thoughts would now be easier to work through, Ginny settled herself down onto a log and started to hum quietly.

She hated her feelings for Draco. She felt unclean when she thought of him…like she was doing something dreadfully wrong. But it was hard not to think of him…he had wriggled his way into her life before she had the time of the recollection of normalcy to stop him.

What made it worse was the fact that she didn't want to be friends with him…she just wanted him. She wanted him to be at her mercy, to scream her name and beg for more. But this wasn't something Ginny could accomplish. She was just a little virgin girl in the whole big world.

It hadn't been a dream of Ginny's to stay a virgin, to be honest she would have thought that she would have done 'the deed' by now. The trouble was that somewhere at the back of her mind, Ginny had a fantasy. She wanted her first time to be with Harry. She wanted him to love her and to feel her and to move her until she didn't even know herself. 

Without knowing it herself, this fantasy had become her rule, and whenever the idea of sex presented itself, Ginny usually made herself scarce.

She also had one rule; she must love the person she did it with. It didn't matter if it was to be her first time, or her one hundredth. And she intended to stick to this, regardless of who was pursuing her.  

Feeling that she had much more control, Ginny headed back up to her tent, feeling her way through the blinding darkness that had risen. 

It was harder than usual to open the zipper that led to her warm and dry bed. Both Draco and Ginny had king sized sleeping backs for comfort so she was amazed that the bag felt so full when she nimbly hopped in.

"Wrong bag…" a deep voice said sexily.

FUCK………………………………

"But that's alright," it continued, "I don't mind sleeping with you…"

Ginny struggled to hop out of the bed, but it was made impossible as Draco grabbed her wrist and pulled her back into the depths of the navy blue bags.

Pulling her face down to his, he pulled her into a kiss that rendered her all together useless. 

"Mmmm…" Ginny muttered, pushing harder into the kiss.

Draco seemed to sense that she was enjoying it more and started to slowly sit up, Ginny still nestling in his lap. Soon they were sitting so Draco had his back against the wall of the tent and Ginny was straddling his thighs, leaning forward to kiss him.

After some time of heavy kissing, Draco moved his hands slowly up Ginny's sides and started to softly palm her breasts. Ginny let out her appreciation with a low moan and clutched at Draco side. Soon his hands were in her t-shirt and she was pushing her body forward.

Every last ounce of sense she may have possessed was gone. Who was she? Why was shy there? Nothing made sense anymore, nothing aside from the feeling of rightness, which was tumbling though her body.

She wanted him. 

Pushing his hands away, she reached down for his loose white shirt and carefully unbuttoned it. Draco let out a low moan as his chest was bared, and Ginny delighted in the fact that she could make him react. 

His chest was beautiful. It wasn't gaudy and muscular like a revolting weight lifter, but longer and lean, a rich creamy colour that was starting to tan in the hot Australian sun. 

Ginny leaned down and her hair tumbled about her face like an angel. When her mouth was equal to his chest, she tentatively reached out her tongue and gave an experimental lick. Draco immediately moaned and Ginny smirked, furthering her actions. 

Draco however, did not appreciate this change of roles that seemed to have taken place. Sitting up straight, he pulled Ginny closer into his lap and grabbing the hem of her t-shirt, he pulled it over her head. 

Ginny let out a gasp as the winters air skittered across her bare chest. A slither of reality hit her and she realised that she was baring more of her than anyone had ever seem. Shyly, she bit her lip and crossed her arms over her breasts, avoiding Draco's wandering eyes.

"Don't," he said softly and reached up to pull away her arms. "What's wrong?"

"I'm embarrassed," Ginny admitted quietly, "I'm afraid that I'm not…."

She let the question hang into the air and Draco captured it.

"You are beautiful."

Ginny felt herself fall down into pure bliss, as Draco started to softly nuzzle her breasts. Soon she was barely aware of anything at all…and Draco's hands travelled further.

Soon both his hands were sitting teasingly on her hips and finally one sunk lower to gently caress her most sensitive area.

Ginny let out a gasp and pushed in closer.

Draco seeing that she was enjoying his administrations, reached out and slowly began to ease down her pyjama pants. As he was tugging a flash of moonlight danced in through the window of the tent and Ginny watched as his mouth curled up into an unmistakable sneer.

Suddenly reality came back to her. He was a crude arsehole and she was letting him get into her pants.

"Stop," she gasped, pushing away his hands.

"What now!" Draco cried irritably, not letting go.

"I can't do this," she admitted.

"What?" Draco asked with a smile, "This…"

Quickly he eased his hand into her pyjama's and past the barrier of her soft cotton underwear. Pushing gently he eased a finger into a place that made Ginny jerk and let out a soft cry.

"Please…" she whimpered, trying to struggle against the waves of heat the were pouring over her as Draco continued; now moving his finger slowly. "Please…I can't take this."

Draco smirked as he listened to Ginny losing control. Just hearing her little squeaks was enough to turn him on.

"You won't make me stop," he muttered as he continued. "You're to weak and besides, don't pretend you're not enjoying this."

A little voice in Ginny's head spoke up.

You are strong, stronger than him. Are you going to let him manipulate you like a little city hussy? Or are you going to stand up and do what's right. You hate him and he hates you. This is NOT on.

Ginny found comfort and strength in these thoughts and decided that they were right. She was not Draco's little toy and under no circumstances was she going to be treated like one.

"Enough!" she cried, pushing his hands away. "I'm going to bed and if you don't like it, you can just go wank yourself."

"Fuck!" Draco cried as Ginny levered off him and walked shakily over to her own sleeping bag. "You can't just do that to someone, Weasley!"

"You can…" she called from the other side of the tent, "And I will."  
  


Draco muttered other swear works out of his breath, then pulled himself up from his sleeping bag and stalked out of the tent, obviously leaving to gratify himself.

Ginny, though still aroused, felt a greater sense of power and purpose. No longer was she going to run away from Malfoy as he played with her like a little mouse…no, she was stronger than that and nobody was going to make her do something she didn't want to.

Stretching out in her bag, Ginny let out a massive yawn…

Of course, she didn't fall asleep until she was sure that the protection ward around herself was stable.

Malfoy wouldn't be visiting her again that night.


	15. explanations and sorryfullness

Dear Reviewers, Ok, I'm sosososo sorry that I haven't updated in so long. I know that this looks a bit cheap just chucking an authors note in (like I'm trying to get out of writing more) but I feel I should explain the reasons why I am unable to update. This letter is especially aimed towards AnonymousHGDV. I know that you've been reviewing every day like crazy, and I feel really flattered, and as I have no email address to contact you, I felt like this would be the only way. I can't update at the moment. That's as simple as it gets. I have my reasons as well.guys; don't think I've forgotten about this fic (or Unforeseen for those of you that read that.) Ok, these are my reasons. I'm in the middle of my MAJOR exams, which determine whether or not I can go to Uni. I've been doing Tap exams and Jazz exams as well as teaching a dance class At least 3 assessments a week. And on TOP off all this I came down with a relapse of Glandular fever.  
  
Please don't ask me to update any more guys, because I feel insanely guilty! In a week or so I'll be able to write again, but at the moment I'm swamped!  
  
Thanks for all the supportive reviews, and hopefully I'll be able to deliver a chapter soon.  
  
*Cessa. 


	16. In which everyone migrates to Australia!

**_Fic: _****Normality**

**_Author: _****Cessa**

**_Disclaimer: _****Everything you recognize belongs to JK Rowlings…the only thing that's mine is the plot and several random characters… **

**_Rated: _****R for adult themes and language_._**

**_A/N: _****There are so many reasons why I couldn't get this fic up sooner, but I'm sick of trying to make excuses for myself so I'm just going to say how truly sorry I am. There's nothing much else I can actually say, apart from thanking everyone for those gorgeous reviews and emails that got me through a hard time and allowed me to start writing again. Thanks guys! You're the best reviewers a girl could have.**

It was a chilly day in England, with snow falling lightly creating a misty sheet which enveloped the sky. Muggles were hurrying too and from Heathrow airport, wrapped in scarves and trench coats to try to stifle the biting air as it swirled and raced quickly around, forcing people to huddle closer into their jackets.

However, those on flight seventeen, destination Australia, did not feel the cold. Their plane had remarkably good heating, which spiraled out through the large passenger compartment, warming the feet of those crouched into the smaller scale economy seats. The plane was a jumbo-jet, built to contain three window seats and five aisle seats per row. Friendly staff wandered up and down the walkway, offering drinks and refreshments. The airline, Qantas, had been voted 'Airline of the Year' five times in a row, and it was obvious that they were keen to keep this distinction, as smiles flashed constantly. However, despite this first-class service, there was still a significant drawback that had just been discovered by a red haired man, sitting next to the aisle on the left-window side of the plane… exceedingly uncomfortable seat belts.

"Tell me again _why_ we have to wear these things?"

Hermione tutted loudly and leant over to help Ron do up his regulation airplane seatbelt. When it was finally done up he wiggled about a bit before finally resigning to the fact that these seat belts were the sort of thing that would _never _be comfortable.

While this struggle with the seat belt was going on, Harry, on the other side of Hermione was glaring out of the tiny plane window, ignoring both of his friends and pretending that he was above seat-belt anxiety. Of course, there were other reasons for his silence. Harry was livid.

"None of us would be in this situation if we had decided to floo…" Harry snapped suddenly, turning away from the window so fast it looked painful…

Hermione, however, was obviously waiting for Harry to yell something of the sort, for she only looked vaguely annoyed as she answered Harry in a calmly, "You know already why we're not catching floo, Harry, so don't get all angry at me. I told you at least fifty times that the floo safety record has plummeted during the last year, so if we want to reach Australia alive, it's much safer to catch muggle transport…And before you say anything, Apparation overseas is exceedingly dangerous. You know that. Besides, we're all under so much stress that I would imagine we would end up in Egypt or something."

"Yes," Harry answered irately, glowering more ferociously than ever, " however, maybe it's conveniently slipped your memory, Hermione, but these stupid machines are going to take about fifty times longer…do you realize that this flight takes more than twenty hours?"

"Of course I know," Hermione snapped, sounding much less patient as she struggled to do up her own seatbelt, which seemed to be resisting her heavily. "But truthfully, there were no other alternatives."

"But Ginny! Every bloody hour that we spend on this machine is another one that she has to spend with that bastard, Malfoy…Can you see how bad that is? Especially with her Sanguis. God, Hermione…"

"Hey," Ron cut in quietly, leaning over to wrap a protective arm around Hermione, who was quickly dissolving into tears. "Give it a rest, mate."

Harry glared at Ron, and spat, "Well it's true! Ginny is sick…why can't anyone bloody get that into their heads!"

"The way you're carrying on, it's like you think you're the only one to care about her."

Harry stopped before he could say something snide, and more closely considered Ron. Hunched into his small economy seat covered by maroon material, Ron suddenly looked about eleven, and Harry understood all of sudden how far passed the line he had stepped.

"I'm sorry…I know that others care…" He said slowly, reaching out to pat Hermione's back, making her flinch, which made Harry feel deeply ashamed for verbally attacking her. Ron for his part turned to face Harry and glazed at him stonily. 

"To be honest, I don't really think you do. There are eight of us, Harry, all of her brothers and then Mum and Dad. Do you think we are just sitting around at home, watching the fireplace and knitting while others play chess- "

"I don't…" 

"Good, because all of us care more about Ginny than anyone will ever know. You might have just realized that you love her or whatever weird power-trip this is for you, but I've known her for twenty-six years and she means for than this earth to me."

Harry hung his head in shame and Hermione reached for Ron's hand, pacifying him with a quiet, "Ron…"  

They stayed quiet for some time after that, until a friendly stewardess came wandering up the aisle and asked if any of them wanted a drink. 

None of them did.

Harry was lost in his thoughts by that stage, regretting everything he had said, every word he had snapped. These were his friends, and it was ridiculous to try to take out his anger on them. He didn't have that much normality in the world, but he knew he would always be able to count on Ron and Hermione. 

Already they had proven themselves, packing up one day after he had suggested that they leave to find Ginny. It hadn't taken long to get everything in order. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, upon hearing their mission had spent a few hasty days, covering for them at work and tying up the last of their accounts to take care of Ginny's medical fees. They had even spent a day, combing through leaflets and searching through the most well stocked wizard libraries, in order to find the most reputable hospital in Australia.

Finally however, everything was organized, Hermione's checklist finalized, and all three of them were on a rescue mission, heading deep into the unknown territory of the Australian wildlife.

They had only forgotten one thing.

Their endurance to emotional pain.  

*

Meanwhile, in the far more spacious first-class section of the plane, sat darkly beautiful young women, drinking a scotch on the rocks and thanking her rich ex-husband with everything she was worth. 

"This one's for you, Draco" Kitty murmured, downing her glass with a flourish. 

A passing flight attendant, both young and handsome, noticed her enthusiasm and after waiting a few minutes wandered over to Kitty, smiling at her shyly, being obviously new to the flight-host profession. 

"Good evening, Miss," He said, nervously but with a well practiced even tone. "May I get you another drink?"

Kitty studied him carefully, making him flush as she took in his figure from the tip of his highly polished boots to his tousled blonde hair. Finally she finished this inspection and derived her judgment. 

"The last one wasn't so good, but I'll order again in the hope that you might meet my standards…"

The steward's cheeks turned even redder, as he coughed awkwardly hoping that none of his managers had heard Kitty's not so subtle crudeness. Finally he straightened up and lifted back his broad shoulders. Staring her straight in the eyes, he smiled cheekily, though his cheeks were still pink, and answered boldly, "This airlines motto is to bring our customers to the peak of perfection. I hope that I can serve you in any-way to meet your satisfaction…"

He smiled again, and walked off, obviously astounded by his own courage.

Later, as Kitty was receiving her dinner she noticed that the container holding her lamb stir-fry had the name Keith scrawled across it, along with the number of a hotel in Sydney. 

Smiling largely, Kitty leaned back in her seat and started to imagine. Her fantasies about the young host, Keith were only broken when the older Hyde, fast asleep as he had been for the whole trip, snored loudly in the seat next to her.

"I guess the newer model of men has more innovative qualities…" Kitty muttered, throwing Hyde a contemptuous glance. 

The hot young steward was one of the good things about the plane. That factor, however, did not out-weigh the bad, and Kitty was thoroughly sorry that she hadn't been able to go with her first plan, and travel by Portkey. It had just seemed so risky, as they had walked into the terminal only to find there were heavier passport regulations. As someone traveling one a false one, Kitty had been reluctant to try her luck. 

Besides, she was in no hurry. Draco was going to be in Australia for another few weeks, and even if he left early…the world was still small and she would find him sooner, rather than later. 

*

Draco was up early the following morning, annoyed and wishing with everything he had that he had not brought Ginny to Australia. 

It was getting far too difficult, pretending that everything was find between them, when they couldn't even spend a moment alone without innuendo and lust getting in the way of their professional relationship…and last night…well, that had gone way to far. He was just glad that Ginny had enough common sense to stop them. The plan to blackmail her was far away now, lost on a series of events that he could never take back. He didn't even have any intentions of annoying her anymore… 

It seemed that what had started as a conquest, as a game had turned into something a little bit more. Respect. 

He was suddenly seeing the littlest Weasley in a whole new light. She was gutsy, he would give her that, and he admired how such stuck to her guns in every scenario. He wouldn't deny that she was beautiful either. He had once long ago told someone that he hated redheads, but know he could barely look at her hair without wanting to touch it…But liking Ginny was a weakness, and whatever Draco was, he wasn't weak…at all. 

"Speaking of which," Draco said to himself, with a small smile, "Ginny better wake up soon if we're going to be on time…"

It was another brilliant morning, and although it was still relatively early, the sky shone with sunlight, filtering down to the dusty ground. Ahead on the horizon, Draco could see the track that they were going to take, an orange mud road, standing out among the bright red dust. Their campsite was also covered in this dust, the kettle and pots next to the burnt out fire turning a rusty color (like Ginny's hair) in the sunlight. 

Standing up from his perch on a rock near the creek, Draco wandered slowly towards the tent, it's blue color turning it into a stark contrast with the earthy colors surrounding it. He could just see a lump in the side, as Ginny cuddled up against the cushioned walls.

Unzipping the entrance, Draco whispered, "Ginny…wake up…"

When she refused to do so, he glared at her as if willing her to wake, and climbed inside the tent for a another attempt. 

"Ginny!" He muttered furiously, "Wake up!" 

Ginny, however slept on, and Draco was forced to shake her more furiously, and finally speak in a loud voice, "Wake _up_!"

When Ginny still refused to stir, Draco began to get worried. She was usually an early riser and rarely slept later than 7am. Consulting his watch, Draco grimaced. It was already 11am and they were far beyond schedule. 

Trying one last time, Draco used all of his energy to shake Ginny as hard as he could.

"Whah…" 

Ginny had finally awoken, and she looked like shit.

"Where am I…" She muttered feebly.

Draco sniggered and rolled his eyes. This was blackmail material in the making. 

"You're in Australia darling, and I think that unless you want me to chuck you into that creek over there, you better be waking up soon.

Ginny however, had no answer to this as she had either slipped back into sleep, or passed out. Draco was beginning to get worried. Her behavior just wasn't normal.

"Ginny…" he shook her again, "are you ok?"

Ginny didn't answer, but she did rouse slightly, muttering nonchalant words under her breath. Draco was starting to get very concerned. It there was one thing worse than having your hated secretary with you on a business trip; it was having a _sick_ hated secretary traveling with you.

"What am I supposed to do now?" he muttered, flopping to sit on the floor of the tent. They couldn't stay here, that would put them far behind on the itinerary. Finally he came to the only conclusion possible; lifting Ginny up, sleeping bag and all, he pulled her close to his chest and heaved her over to the yellow Ute, placing her carefully into the passenger side. Then, in an efficient manner he pulled out his wand and swept it about the clearing, using levitation charms and transfiguration to pack all of their equipment and accessories into the tray of the truck. Pulling himself into the drivers compartment, Draco glared at Ginny and muttered, "I hope you're worth all this trouble…I could've left you for the killer wallabies…"

*

"Tents?"

"Check."

"Passports?"

"Check."

"Australian Dollars"

"Check."

"Ron?"

"Ummm…"

Both Harry and Hermione looked up from their checklists and simultaneously groaned in despair as they realized that their usually noticeable friend had vanished in the gaping mouth of the dreaded airport crowds. 

It was a Saturday, so the terminal was crowded with both holiday leavers and people returning to a country full of fierce pride. Smiling faces were all around, and the heat, even though the airport was air conditioned, was starting to seep into the thick skin on all the British passengers.  Including Hermione. 

"I thought you were meant to be keeping an eye on him!" Hermione cried frantically.

"Sorry," Harry muttered guiltily, shuffling his feet and watching the arrivals message board with increasing interest.

Ever since they had arrived in Brisbane airport, Ron had taken an immediate interest in everything Australian. It had taken all of Harry and Hermione's will power to stop him from wandering into various tourism stores, exclaiming loudly over the stuffed kangaroos and wallabies. Both despite all of their careful Ron-sitting, he still had managed to disappear.

"It doesn't matter now," Hermione said long-sufferingly, "All that matters is that we find him. Harry, you go that way, I'll go this way…he's bound to turn up."

"Right…Wait! Shouldn't we arrange a meeting place or something?"

Hermione looked pensive (and slightly annoyed that this idea wasn't her own) for a moment, before answering that they should meet outside the food court in fifteen minutes. After deciding on a exact location (next to the red bin, across from McDonald's) they both went their separate ways. 

Harry wandered about through his section of the airport, glancing into touristy shops and looking closely around for Ron. His friend's disappearance was exceedingly annoying, stretching his already thin patience to a breaking point. He suspected Ron was trying to escape his depression about Ginny, by pretending that nothing was wrong. It was only at some choice moments (like the one on the plane) that Ron showed emotion, preferring to ignore the problem until it broke his heart, or worse. Even now Harry remembered how Ron had tired to escape his increasingly growing feelings for Hermione, while they were at school, by pretending that she annoyed him.  

Lost in his thoughts, Harry neglected to watch which way he was going, and soon the inevitable happened. He barged into a young woman, knocking her and the luggage she was carrying to the floor.

"I'm so sorry!" Harry exclaimed, reaching to help her up. The woman ignored his hand, throwing him a look of contempt so great that it could almost be described as hatred. 

"I don't need your help," she snarled, standing gracefully up and collecting her possessions quickly from the dusty airport carpet. 

Despite her anger, and the looks she was sending him as she dusted off her skirt, Harry believed that he had possibly never seen anyone as beautiful in his life. Her long black hair was tousled from her fall, and she was stunning in a chubby sort of way…a beautiful woman with a sensuous build. However, when she finally straightened up properly, and looked him straight in the eyes, he doubted whether he would ever see anything that sinister, that devastating in his life.

Her brown eyes glowed with hatred that to Harry was only too familiar. Deep inside this evil however shone a depression that no amount of contempt could ever wish to hide. It was obvious that this woman had been through hell, however desperately she was trying to cover it. 

"Are you sure you're ok?" Harry asked hesitantly, trying to avoid her poisonous eyes.

"Just dandy," she snapped, and Harry caught the trace of a foreign accent.

He was about to inquire further when a gruff voice cut through his sentence, as a largely built man came storming over.

"Kitty!" he cried, gasping for breath, "I just got an owl from my friend at the Regency…They had Draco staying there a few days ago and they know where he was going!"

Harry eyes snapped up…owls? Draco? There was only one possible explanation for this tirade…turning back frantically to face the pair, he distinctly heard the woman named Kitty, hiss, " Quiet you fool! We're in front of a muggle!"

" Sorry…" the man muttered.

"You are such…" The woman started to exclaim, before she realized that Harry was still standing there, staring at them shamelessly, and quickly attempted to pull the man away.

"WAIT!" Harry yelled after them, grabbing the woman by the arm.

"Watch it!" the larger man shouted, glaring at Harry.

"Sorry…" Harry said, dropping his grip before quickly continuing. "But I'm not a muggle, I'm a wizard by the name of Harry Potter…Do you know Draco Malfoy?"

As both Kitty and her larger companion turned to face Harry, a voice called his name frantically. Turning quickly, Harry almost collided with both Hermione and Ron as they sprinted up to him.

"Harry Potter…" the woman named Kitty murmured, amid the continuing chaos. "Maybe this won't be nearly as hard as I anticipated."

*

Draco estimated that they must have been driving along the dusty road for about two hours before Ginny finally woke up. When she flickered open her eyes, and glanced around the cab feebly, Draco had to admit that she looked terrible. 

"Where am I?" she rasped, in a voice devoid of any expression.

"We're heading towards The Northern Territory," Draco answered, forgetting to use the sarcastic tone he had planned, at the sound of her delicate tone, littered with sickness. "Are you alright?" he added as an after tone. 

"Not Really," Ginny said softly, her voice growing slightly stronger, "I don't know what's come over me…I felt fine yesterday…"

Draco frowned, before squinting as a black smudge next to the road. It was a dead wallaby.

"Well…" Ginny continued, "I actually have been feeling a little bit under the weather since we got here…I don't know, I didn't think it was that bad until I woke up like…" She erupted into a violent coughing fit, and Draco was worried that she might hyperventilate. The worry he had been feeling was dissolving into mild anger.

"Why didn't you say anything earlier!" He snapped, turning slightly to glare at her pathetic figure, hunched up against the car door. But he had to admit; even when she was sick she still looked beautiful, in a sad vulnerable sort of way. 

"I didn't think it was that bad…"Ginny admitted softly, "honestly, I thought it just might be a little cold or something…with those big weather changes and all…"

Draco frowned again before answering, "Then why haven't I been sick at all?"

"You mean you weren't sick that day at the hotel?" Ginny asked curiously, a frown etching her white face. 

"What day?" Draco asked abruptly. 

"You got this letter and then you went this funny white color…I don't know, I assumed you were sick or something because of the way you ran out of there."

"I wasn't sick." Draco answered in a harsh tone, hoping Ginny would get the message and move into clearer pastures.

"But…"

"I SAID I wasn't SICK!" Draco yelled suddenly, almost swerving off the road. Swearing to himself he straightened the steering wheel and clutched at the gear stick fiercely. Ginny stared at him, showing neither weakness nor regret, and at once he felt deeply ashamed of his actions.

"Look…" He said, staring out of the window with a red flush spreading quickly across his cheeks…"It was the letter, because it was from someone I used to know and she hurt me bad enough that my heart is still broken and…I feel fragmented inside because she took part of me…"

Ashamed deeply for talking with honesty, and what more about Kitty of all people, Draco glanced over at Ginny to see how she had taken his weakness.

She was unconscious. 

**Thanks so much for the reviews guys, and I'm sorry that this chapter isn't fabulous, but I realized that I better update whether this is spelt right or not. **

**I'm updating this chapter now, before it gets beta'ed because I can't stand to have you guys waiting any longer. I'll substitute a new chapter soon ok? Until then I'm sorry about the Grammar and stuff. **


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